U.K. research group won’t enforce boycott

A group representing British researchers said it would only participate in an Israeli academic boycott if it was mandated by the government.Research Councils UK, the umbrella organization for seven councils that collectively distribute roughly $5.5 billion in academic research funding, supports research in the United Kingdom but sometimes collaborates with foreign academic institutions.”We would not stop any collaboration unless it was government policy,” said a group spokesperson.The announcement comes one day after the University and College Union voted 158 to 99 to force additional discussions on a boycott of Israeli academics.The move was widely condemned by Jewish groups and both the Israeli and British governments. The National Union of Students, a confederation of student groups throughout the United Kingdom, also condemned the UCU resolution.