Academics at the University of Sydney signed a pledged to boycott Israeli universities following the recent killings of Palestinian protesters in Gaza, The Australian reported on Thursday.
Signed by at least 37 university professors and research fellows, the petition vows to break all official contact with Israeli universities until Israel complies with international law and the principles of human rights, as well as recognise Palestinians’ right to return to the homes from which they were expelled from during the 1948 war.
The move follows the principles of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement which works to end international support for “Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.”
A senior lecturer at the University of Sydney and a member of its BDS group, said the lack of international condemnation following this month’s killing of at least 30 unarmed Palestinian protesters and the wounding of hundreds of others had made the campaign necessary.
The protests call on Israel to accept the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.
