More than 40 Australian academics have signed a statement calling for a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions.
The statement said: "There can be no academic freedom in Israel/Palestine unless all academics are free and all students are free to pursue their academic desires."
The statement by was launched by the Committee for the Dismantlement of Zionism on March 30, Palestinian Land Day.
It called upon "our colleagues to comprehensively and consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions as a contribution to the struggle to end Israel's occupation, colonisation and system of apartheid".
This includes no participation in academic and cultural cooperation with Israeli institutions, and promoting divestment and divestment from Israel by academic institutions.
The statement called for direct support to Palestinian academic and cultural institutions, bypassing Israeli counterparts.
The statement supported the aims and principles of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). These aims include an end to the occupation of all Palestinian and Arab land, full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel and recognition of the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties.
The statement urges "our colleagues, nationally, regionally, and internationally, to stand up against Israel's ongoing attacks on the rights of Palestinians to education, land, and human dignity, and to support the nonviolent call for academic boycott, disinvestment, and sanctions."
Support for the PACBI has grown in Australia since the end of last year. Student unions at RMIT and the University of Western Sydney (UWS) passed motions in support of PACBI and called on their respective universities to do the same.
On May 5, UWS vice chancellor Janice Reid attacked the academic boycott campaign. In an email to staff and students, Reid said the university opposed "any attempts to silence or isolate scholars around the world, whatever the political or social systems of their countries".
The "international community of scholars transcends politics", she said.
UWS Students for Palestine and the UWS student union disagree. They have pledged to continue to pressure the university join the PACBI and get more academics to sign the statement.
The full statement can be found at www.gazadefencecommittee.org. To add your name to the list of academics in support of the statement email Dr Ned Curthoys at ned.curthoys@anu.edu.au