CUPE calls for ban on Israeli professors

[Grimm]

Ontario's largest university workers union is proposing a ban on Israeli academics teaching in the province's universities, in a move that echoes previous attempts to boycott goods and services from the Jewish state.

The resolution, proposed by CUPE's Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee, is in protest of a Dec. 29 bombing that damaged the Islamic University in Gaza.

"In response to an appeal from the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees, we are ready to say Israeli academics should not be on our campuses unless they explicitly condemn the university bombing and the assault on Gaza in general," said Sid Ryan, president of CUPE Ontario.

The resolution is still being drafted but the union said it will seek to prohibit Israeli academics from speaking, teaching or researching at Ontario universities. The CUPE committee will distribute the resolution to its members at the end of the month.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1146735

Because judging people based on their nationality is always a good idea...

[lightningandsnow]

1. Good lord.

I by no means approve of Israel's actions, but that's just stupid.

Judging whole groups of people by ethnicity will get us nowhere.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. It's a really dumb PR move.

There is a very large Arab community in Ontario, so it makes sense considering that. It's still rather unseemly.

[LeftishBrit]

3. This probably won't pass

It's usually a few rather loony activists who propose these boycott motions at small meetings, and then when put to the entire union, they fail or are simply dropped. That was the case, twice, with my union UCAS, which is the British equivalent of CUPE.

Are they also going to refuse admission to American or British academics over bombing Iraq?

[Grimm]

4. The last CUPE anti-Israel resolution passed unanimously

http://tao.ca/~cupe3903/web/?q=node/376

June 7, 2006

At the annual CUPE Ontario convention, held in Ottawa on May 24-27, 900 delegates unanimously passed a resolution in support of the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against the Israeli state until such time as it recognizes the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees in accordance with international law.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Ugh.. But did they actually do anything about it?

UCAS couldn't run, or even boycott, a whelk stall.

[Grimm]

7. To my knowledge...maybe

I don't think they have the authority to enforce it legally, but some CUPE local branches did agree to support the boycott. Whether any boycotting was actually done is unknown. There is a near-complete lack of articles both on Google and CUPE's website about the divestment resolution after it passed.

I'm skeptical about universities actually agreeing to follow CUPE's Israeli professor ban even if it passes by a clear majority. The presidents of most Ontario universities were very vocally against the similar boycott plan raised in the UK and I don't think they have any obligation to support CUPE's ban.

[Vegasaurus]

8. This is just idiotic

Palestinians are oppposed to calling all of them terrorists, so why punish university professors, who tend to be the most liberal anyway?

[Posteritatis]

12. Because they're in reach

That's pretty much it; this resolution's nothing more than going after anyone who has the misfortune to have Israeli citizenship. Because, of course, an Israeli professor of French literature or a mathemetician or whatever are going to be oh so complicit in what's currently going on in Gaza.

At least the resolution specifies Israeli professors and not just Jewish ones or something. It's sad that if they had said that I wouldn't be particularly surprised.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

6. Hooray! International boycotts, sanctions and divestment are exactly what is needed to force

Israel to negotiate in good faith.

This IS the face of nonviolent resistance!

[katmandu2007]

9. Are they insane?

Am I reading this right? Refusing University jobs and access to materials due to nationality?
Are they calling for the firing of any employee in their union who happens to be from Isreal??
Boycotting material goods is a fine way to protest, targeting people is just plain wrong.

[AnOhioan]

10. Not a good idea

[backwoodsbob]

11. and I'm sure the cAlls for a boycott

of palestinians because of rockets Fired at Israeli civilians is coming shortly


:sarcasm:

[henank]

13. Strawman

Hasn't happened.