Date: 2007-07-11
Speaker: PATRICK J. MURPHY (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Penn

sylvania. Madam Speaker. I thank the gentlelady from Texas for her leadership on this issue and the gentlelady from Florida. Madam Speaker. I rise today to offer a resolution to let the world know that this House stands opposed to antiSemitism and reaffirms our support for academic freedom. It is sad that in this day and age I would have to offer such a resolution. but the actions of a misguided group thousands of miles away have forced this body to act. Madam Speaker. in May the leadership of the University and College Union. or UCU. the main union representing 120.000 British college teachers. called for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. As a former professor myself at the United States Military Academy at West Point. I know how wrong this action is from an academic and diplomatic perspective. This boycott will sever academic contacts and exchanges of personnel between British and Israeli academic institutions. as well as have *a significant economic impact. given that the union enjoys significant influence in Britain. The reasons given by the leadership of the UCU for endorsing a boycott consist of the same tired propaganda and inflammatory rhetoric typically used by the enemies of Israel and do not deserve to be repeated on the floor of this distinguished body. This call for a boycott by the UCU is even more disturbing. given that Britains National Union of Journalists called for a similar boycott this past April. It should come as no surprise that these boycotts have drawn harsh criticism. In a recent editorial entitled "Malicious Boycotts." the New York Times called them nonsense. writing. and I quote. "Who would respect the judgment of a scholar who selects or rejects colleagues on political grounds? Who would trust the dispatches of a reporter who has openly engaged against one side of a conflict? Critical thinking and well thoughtout criticism are intrinsic to good scholarship and good journalism. These boycotts represent neither." The criticism. though. does not end there. Now former Prime Minister Tony Blair has criticized the boycott saying. "I hope very much that decision is overturned because it does absolutely no good for .the peace process or for relations in that part of the world." Madam Speaker. the former Prime Minister is right. We need to build dialogue and trust in the Middle East and we cannot do that without our greatest ally there. the State of Israel. Israel is a stable democracy that shares our values. This is rare in a region of the world where few nations have democracy. rule of law and religious freedom. As an Iraq war veteran.-I know firsthand just how dangerous that part of the world truly is. Thats why when Israel comes under attack from hatemongers. its the American values that are also under such attack. Today. by passing this bipartisan resolution. were stating with one voice that this Congress will stand up and defendour friend. the State of Israel. Specifically. my resolution condemns the decision by the UCU leadership to boycott Israeli academia and urges the general membership to reject the boycott. It also urges the academic community and individual governments to reject any call for a boycott of Israel and to reaffirm the importance of academic freedom. Limiting academic exchange and shrinking the marketplace of ideas only hinders our ability to bring peace to the Middle East and -to help solve the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. Madam Speaker. in closing. I want to make sure that Ithank some of mydistinguished colleagues who were instrumental in bringing this regolution to the floor today. the chairman of the Subcommittee- on Europe. ROBERT WEXLER. and the chairman and ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. TOM LANTOS. and Ms. RosLEHTINEN. These three distinguished Members have proven themselves to be leaders in standing up for Israel. and I thank them for all their work in bringing this resolution to the floor. With that. Madam Speaker. I will conclude by urging swift passage of this critical resolution.