U.K. Jews, Israeli academics talk boycott

British Jewish leaders met with the heads of Israeli universities to coordinate the fight against an academic boycott of Israel. Last week’s meeting in Jerusalem was hosted by the Fair Play Campaign Group, represented by its co-chairmen, Board of Deputies of British Jews President Henry Grunwald and Jewish Leadership Council member Brian Kerner. The meeting was held ahead of the University and College Union’s annual congress May 30, when the union is expected to vote on an academic boycott of Israeli institutions. According to FPCG, participants at the meeting agreed that each university would appoint a liaison with Fair Play to spearhead local campaigns against proposed academic boycotts and increase the number of senior Israeli academics visiting the United Kingdom this year.