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Boycott
Fever Hits Europe
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| Demonstrators in Madrid, Spain, calling for boycotting Israel |
LONDON,
April 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – More than 400
university lecturers in Europe signed a petition requesting the
academic boycott of Israel because of its atrocities against
Palestinians and unarmed civilians, reported a pan-Arab London-based
newspaper Tuesday, April 16.
Asharq
Al Awsat said that two British professors, Steven Ron and Hildy
Ron, are the ones who initiated this campaign against Israel.
“Unlike
free countries, Israel does not understand the language of political
objection. It only understands the language of power. As scholars, our
power is our knowledge and we must mobilize this in the war which will
halt the death campaign against Palestinians.
Among
those who signed the petition are 10 Israeli lecturers who are working
temporarily in European colleges on exchange programs. Among them are
lecturers famous in Israel such as Bradford David from the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem, Professor Tanya Wainwright and historian Dr.
Ilan Babeih.
Schools
and scientific institutes in Israel are heavily supported by academic
institutes in Europe both financially and by human resources.
In
France, three Muslim sportsmen decided to boycott the Monora sports
club because of Jewish elements who support Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon’s criminal policies. They added that this boycott is
not targeted towards Judaism but is against those who support Israel.
Nour
Al Deen Bin Nasser, 24, who is one of those who boycotted the club
said, “the tone of those who support Israel has increased in the
club and we felt that we had to take a position against the Israeli
soldiers who have Palestinian blood on their hand.”
Bin
Nasser told the French daily newspaper Liberátion
Tuesday that “we are against radical Jewish establishments which
gather donations for the Israeli army. We are not against Judaism, if
we were we wouldn’t have stayed for many years in a club that joins
Muslims, Jews and Christians.”
The
players have not been taking part in the football training since April
4, and told their coach John Luk Christman that they are quitting the
team.
Other
Muslim players in the club refused the boycott, however. Nofel, 27,
said that the chance must not be given to radical Jewish
establishments in France to isolate Muslims living in the west.
“This withdrawal only reinforces Sharon’s governments aims to
isolate the role of Muslims around the world.”
Officials
in the club, however, were shocked with the decision. Simon Dahan, the
club’s director said that the club was able to absorb the “effects
of September 11,” and that he was defending the Muslims against
those who used to call them ‘terrorists’.
The
club was established in 1963 by John Kahan, the current director of
the central religion complex for Israel in France.
In
Denmark, leftists parties have called on the Danish people to boycott
Israeli products. A demonstration, in which nearly a thousand people
took part, was organized in Copenhagen. It called for the immediate
Israeli retreat from Palestinian territories and from the West Bank.
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