Thousands of academics and scientists worldwide have issued a call against boycotts and marginalising practices towards Israeli researchers. The President of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) has also signed the declaration and published a letter of solidarity from the HRK. At a meeting of the Association of European Science Academies ALLEA, the President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities campaigned for the continuation of international scientific cooperation with Israel.
An Israeli survey from April records a wide range of discriminatory experiences by Israeli researchers: termination of project cooperation, rejection of applications, conference participation, and scientific articles etc.. A report by the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology notes a decline in collaboration between researchers from Israel and Europe since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.
Parts of the international scientific community are opposing this development: Anne Rethmann (FU Berlin/Hebrew University Jerusalem), Daniel Siemens (Newcastle University) and Helmut Walser Smith (Vanderbilt University) spoke out against the boycott of both individual researchers and academic institutions in Israel in their statement of 14 May – irrespective of any assessment of Israeli government policy. The increasing and often subtle exclusion of Israeli researchers contradicts the basic principles of academic co-operation and academic freedom. The declaration was signed by a total of 8,042 signatories (as of 25 May 2024) from all over the world. Among them was HRK President Walter Rosenthal, who signed the declaration – as did numerous others at German institutions.
On 27 May 2024, Rosenthal also sent a letter of solidarity from the HRK to the Israeli universities. Despite his concern about the current developments, he also expressed his hope for the expansion of cooperation between universities and non-university research institutions in Germany and Israel.
On 20 May 2024, the Council of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities issued an appeal to the global scientific community to oppose boycotts and exclusion of Israeli researchers. The Council points out the detrimental effects on international cooperation and scientific progress. It also calls on the Israeli government to support and protect the integrity of Israeli research institutions. At a meeting of representatives of leading European science academies, the President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities urgently called for the continuation of international scientific cooperation with Israel.
Source: Kooperation international (in German)