The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities enthusiastically welcomes the courageous statement issued today by Prof. Walter Rosenthal, President of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), firmly rejecting calls for suspension of the EU Association Agreement with Israel and boycotts against Israeli science and academia.

 

The HRK statement stands as an important affirmation of academic values during a period of significant challenge. The recognition that Israeli universities have "always been a strong liberal, democratic force" demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the complex challenges confronting Israeli academia. We are particularly moved by the HRK's acknowledgment of the ongoing connections between Jews and Arabs within our academic institutions. Even amid conflict, our universities continue to serve as spaces where people from different backgrounds study, research, and work together.

 

The German Rectors' Conference rightly emphasizes that academic boycotts would considerably weaken Israeli academia and cause lasting damage to its role as an important voice of academic reasoning that brings together different perspectives. The position taken by HRK aligns with our core belief that maintaining and strengthening international academic partnerships, rather than severing them, is essential for addressing the complex challenges facing our world today.

 

At a time when the Israeli academic community faces unprecedented challenges from international boycott movements and domestic political pressures, statements like this provide crucial support for the fundamental principles of academic freedom and international scientific cooperation. We call upon other scientific institutions across Europe to adopt similarly principled positions, and to keep scholarly channels with Israel fully open.

 

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities will continue to advance the interests of Israeli science in Europe and worldwide during these difficult times, working to maintain and strengthen the bonds that unite the global scientific community in our shared pursuit of knowledge.