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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 858 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 858

   Condemning the recent vote by the British National Association of 
 Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) to boycott Israeli 
                               academia.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2006

 Mr. Higgins (for himself, Mr. Pence, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Gene 
  Green of Texas, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. 
   Souder, Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Norwood, Mr. 
  McNulty, Mr. Crowley, Mrs. Maloney, Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Rothman, Ms. 
  Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Engel, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Northup, Mr. 
Nadler, Mr. Israel, Mr. Berman, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Kirk) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Condemning the recent vote by the British National Association of 
 Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) to boycott Israeli 
                               academia.

Whereas on May 29, 2006, the British National Association of Teachers in Further 
        and Higher Education (NATFHE) adopted a resolution to boycott Israeli 
        faculty and academic institutions that do not dissociate themselves from 
        their state and Government, which are falsely accused of practicing 
        ``apartheid policies'';
Whereas a similar resolution in favor of an academic boycott of Israel was 
        passed by the British Association of University Teachers (AUT) in April 
        2005 and then rescinded in May 2005 by a Special Council of the AUT;
Whereas Israel is the strongest ally of the United States and a true democratic 
        partner in the Middle East, one which upholds the principles and values 
        of academic freedom;
Whereas NATFHE seeks to impose an offensive loyalty test on Israeli academics;
Whereas the boycotting of Israeli academics contributes to the delegitimization 
        and demonization of the State of Israel;
Whereas such boycotts represent a dangerous assault on the principles of 
        academic freedom and open exchange;
Whereas representatives of the British Government, as well as many university 
        presidents, academic bodies, and leading scholars in the United States 
        and Great Britain have spoken out against such campaigns; and
Whereas NATFHE and the Association of University Teachers merged on June 1, 
        2006, into a new union, the University and College Union (UCU): Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the vote by the British National Association 
        of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) of May 29, 
        2006, to boycott Israeli academics and academic institutions 
        that refuse to declare their opposition to the Government and 
        State of Israel;
            (2) finds NATFHE's criticism of Israeli policy particularly 
        objectionable when the Israeli government has made courageous 
        and far-reaching contributions to peace, including withdrawal, 
        settlement-dismantlement in Gaza, commitment to a 2-state 
        solution, and commitment to further withdrawals in the West 
        Bank;
            (3) urges the University and College Union (UCU) to nullify 
        and void the NATFHE resolution and to issue a statement 
        deploring the campaign to boycott Israeli academia;
            (4) commends the British Government for its criticism of 
        the NATFHE resolution, and commends leading academics for 
        speaking out against the resolution;
            (5) deplores any comparison between the State of Israel, 
        where all citizens are equal before the law, and the former 
        apartheid regime in South Africa; and
            (6) urges governments and educators throughout the world to 
        reaffirm the importance of academic freedom and open dialogue 
        and to condemn measures that would prevent the production, 
        sharing, and exchange of knowledge.
                                 <all>
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