Israel, E.U. sign academic pact

JTA. 30/07/07. Israel has signed an agreement with the European Union that thwarts efforts to impose a British academic boycott of Israel. The agreement will allow Israeli universities to take part in a new six-year research program called the Seventh Research Framework, or FP7. Israel is the only nation outside the European Union that will participate in the major public/private research partnership to develop green air transport, which will be funded under the FP7 program.

The deal effectively thwarts efforts by Britain’s University and College Union to impose an academic boycott of Israel in Britain, having voted at its recent annual congress to campaign for "a moratorium on research and cultural collaborations with Israel via E.U. and European Science Foundation” as part of its Israeli boycott policy. The union’s continued campaign against academic collaborations with Israel has come under fire by some academics, the Jewish community, Britain’s prime minister and members of the British Parliament.