IV 

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 UniverVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:56 Jun 12, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR858.IH HR858

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•HRES 858 IH

sity Teachers (AUT) in April 2005 and then rescinded in 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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) condemns the vote by the British National 

3 Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Edu4 cation (NATFHE) of May 29, 2006, to boycott 

5 Israeli academics and academic institutions that 

6 refuse to declare their opposition to the Government 

7 and State of Israel; 

8 (2) finds NATFHE’s criticism of Israeli policy 

9 particularly objectionable when the Israeli governVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:56 Jun 12, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR858.IH HR858

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•HRES 858 IH

1 ment has made courageous and far-reaching con2 tributions to peace, including withdrawal, settle3 ment-dismantlement in Gaza, commitment to a 2- 

4 state solution, and commitment to further with5 drawals in the West Bank; 

6 (3) urges the University and College Union 

7 (UCU) to nullify and void the NATFHE resolution 

8 and to issue a statement deploring the campaign to 

9 boycott Israeli academia; 

10 (4) commends the British Government for its 

11 criticism of the NATFHE resolution, and commends 

12 leading academics for speaking out against the reso13 lution; 

14 (5) deplores any comparison between the State 

15 of Israel, where all citizens are equal before the law, 

16 and the former apartheid regime in South Africa; 

17 and 

18 (6) urges governments and educators through19 out the world to reaffirm the importance of aca20 demic freedom and open dialogue and to condemn 

21 measures that would prevent the production, shar22 ing, and exchange of knowledge. 

Æ 


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