In response to the avalanche of faux outrage over Sydney University’s Jake Lynch and his important stance against Israeli university complicity in occupation, I received the following letter:
Dr Michael Spence,
Vice-Chancellor and Principal,University of Sydney
Dear Professor Spence,…I am an Israeli citizen, and an alumnus of the Hebrew University’s math and computer science department. I have been active for several years against my government’s policies of racism, apartheid and occupation. I strongly support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israeli institutions. called for by Palestinian civil society.…Unfortunately, the Hebrew University, my Alma Mater, has been complicit in numerous violations of human rights, including Israel’s criminal and illegal land grab policy in the occupied Palestinian territories.…I would like to thank and support those members of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney who have decided… to refrain from… institutional… cooperation with the Hebrew University, and other Israeli institutions. It should be emphasized that such action does not amount to a personal boycott of Israeli individuals.…Israeli human rights activists are too few in number to change reality from within. Furthermore, millions of Palestinians living under an appalling apartheid system, including students and university teachers whose academic lives are disrupted on a daily basis, are looking up to citizens of the world for solidarity through action!…SincerelyWest Jerusalem