Interim Report: 50% of the Academic Boycott of Israel is Conducted Covertly

Shmuel Ne'eman Institute researchers: Over 45% of reported boycott cases are carried out without an overt statement, and activity on campuses around the world has increased since the events of October 7, 2023 * The report is attached to this article

Anti-Israeli demonstration in Amsterdam, November 2023.
Anti-Israeli demonstration in Amsterdam, November 2023. Illustration: depositphotos.com

One of the strange phenomena that has been occurring in the world in the past year is the increase in anti-Semitism in the world, accompanied by demands to eliminate the State of Israel, ostensibly because of its treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza, while ignoring the massacre.

that Hamas' Nukba terrorists carried out on about 1,200 civilians, which was also accompanied by rape on a large scale. Worse still, there were also cries of joy over the massacre. We are in a time when truth is of no importance, only narratives, a phenomenon that is unfortunately accelerating in the age of social media (especially now that Mashmata has abolished the fact-checking institution.

An interim report published by the Shmuel Ne'eman Institute in December 2024 reveals that approximately 50% of academic boycotts of Israel are carried out covertly, without an overt statement of their motives. The report, compiled by a leading team of researchers including Prof. Boaz Golani, Prof. Rivka Carmi, Dr. Tzipi Buchnik, Ella Barzani, Asherat Katz Shaham, Golan Tamir, and Prof. Yair Goldberg, presents a worrying picture of the effects of the academic boycott. According to the findings, since the events of October 7, 2023, there has been a significant increase in BDS movement activity on campuses around the world, especially in the US and Europe. The report highlights concerns about future implications for the ability of Israeli researchers to participate in international conferences, publish scientific articles, and maintain global connections, along with recommendations for decision-makers on possible courses of action to strengthen the status of Israeli academia in the global arena.

Executive Summary

The State of Israel, as a center of technological and scientific innovation, is required to maintain its economic, social, and security resilience by strengthening its academic and research infrastructure. Throughout its 76 years of existence, Israel has succeeded in transforming existential challenges into groundbreaking opportunities, thereby positioning itself as a global high-tech powerhouse.

Israeli academia played a crucial role in creating the human and technological infrastructure that positioned Israel not only as a high-tech powerhouse but also as a developed country with advanced systems in a long list of fields, including security, health, education, welfare, and more.

However, the events of October 7, 2023, and the war that broke out in their wake, led to complex changes in global public opinion and exposed Israel to new threats, including repeated attempts to impose an academic boycott on Israeli institutions and researchers. This interim report, the fruit of the work of the Shmuel Ne'eman Institute, examines the scope of the academic boycott on Israel, its diverse effects, and possible ways to deal with it effectively.

Main findings

  • The status of Israeli academia in the world: Academia in Israel enjoys a high reputation worldwide, and is ranked in respectable places in leading international indexes such as the Shanghai Ranking and the QS Ranking, which are based on scientific excellence and publications. Many Israeli universities collaborate with research institutions around the world, and almost all researchers in Israel collaborate on a personal level with their colleagues abroad, which is indicative of the global scientific community's trust in Israeli academic work.
  • The movement ofBDS And the academic boycott: The Boycott, Divestment, and Divestment (BDS) movement sees Israeli academia as a central target in its struggle against the State of Israel, which it calls in effect to replace with another political entity called Palestine, with borders stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. The movement has significantly increased its activity since the events of October 7, 2023. The movement uses anti-Israel rhetoric, which often includes anti-Semitic rhetoric, and attempts to pressure academic institutions and researchers around the world to avoid collaboration with their Israeli counterparts, to stop investments in Israel, and more.
  • The effects of the boycott on Israeli academia: Although the study found that the academic boycott has not yet had a significant impact on the ability of Israeli institutions to conduct quality research and collaborate globally, there is concern that it will create a process that will ultimately lead to significant negative effects at the individual level. Many researchers report refusal to publish articles, canceled invitations to conferences, delays in promotion procedures, and concerns about damage to academic reputation and relationships with colleagues abroad. There is also increasing difficulty in the ability of Israeli higher education institutions to attract international students, as well as the participation of researchers and students in conferences or training courses abroad.
  • Campus activities around the world: Pro-Palestinian organizations operating on university campuses around the world, especially in the US and Europe, play a central role in promoting the academic boycott. These organizations operate through protests, demonstrations, calls for counter-investment and a boycott of Israel, and also work to promote anti-Israeli consciousness among students and faculty members.
  • Counter-reactions and actions against the boycott: Many parties in Israel and abroad have responded to the boycott in a variety of ways, including diplomatic, legal, and public efforts. Academic institutions in Israel themselves are taking action to prevent the academic boycott, including creating new collaborations and strengthening existing ties, and raising awareness of the negative implications of the boycott on academic research freedom and international cooperation.
  • The overt and covert boycott: Almost half of the reported cases of academic boycotts are carried out covertly, which makes it even more difficult to identify the phenomenon and find practical solutions. Often, covert boycotts are manifested in the fact that the party engaging in the boycott does not explicitly state the reason for their refusal to cooperate, but rather tries to disguise their true motives.
  • Raising awareness and response to the boycott: Increased public awareness of the academic boycott, mainly following the events of October 7, and outreach efforts, also resulted in more academics organizing in various ways to find effective solutions to deal with the boycott issues.

Key recommendations for decision makers

  • Improving the outreach system: A comprehensive and effective outreach strategy should be developed, operating at multiple levels and in multiple languages. This strategy should focus on presenting the unique contribution of the Israeli Academy to science and global research, as well as emphasizing the importance of international collaboration between researchers and institutions.
  • Strengthening collaborations: The efforts of the government and academics should be increased to strengthen international collaborations, with an emphasis on creating new connections with leading research institutions and universities in the world. Emphasis should be placed on countries where BDS activity does not have a significant impact.
  • Allocation of resources to critical research infrastructures: In order to prevent a situation in which the boycott movement succeeds in blocking the possibility of Israeli researchers using critical research infrastructures located abroad, several such infrastructures must be prioritized, the chances of a negative scenario of blocking must be assessed, and reasonable resources must be allocated to ensure the continuity of "Blue and White" research in those fields.
  • Establishing a virtual "situation room": Establishing a central hub for monitoring and tracking academic boycott activities, which will serve as a platform for exchanging information, advising researchers, and assisting in formulating solutions.
  • Harnessing global academic leadership to support Israeli academia: World-renowned academic leaders should be encouraged to visit Israel and hold lectures or collaborations.
  • Cultivating "ambassadors" from within academia: Training programs should be developed for Israeli researchers and students so that they can represent Israel with respect in the world, convey pro-Israel messages, and build connections with colleagues abroad.
  • Increasing the involvement of non-profit organizations and third sector organizations: Jewish and non-Jewish organizations with a positive agenda toward the State of Israel and the Jewish people should be encouraged to increase their activities for Israel on campuses around the world, in collaboration with students and faculty members.
  • legal aidLegal assistance should be provided to academic institutions in Israel and Israeli academics who have experienced harm due to boycotts.
  • Ongoing monitoring: Developments in the field of academic boycott must continue to be monitored, the effectiveness of the various efforts being taken must be examined, and the strategy must be adapted according to changing needs.
  • The Ne'eman Institute is committed to continuing to maintain the database built as part of the current project, ensuring that it is up-to-date, convenient, and accessible to all relevant decision-makers. The Institute's team will continue to develop tools that will help Israeli institutions and academics deal with the boycott phenomena, in ongoing cooperation with other associations and organizations in Israel and around the world that are also working against the academic boycott of Israel.

conclusion

The academic boycott of Israel constitutes a significant battlefield in addition to the military, political, economic, legal, and other arenas that the country has been dealing with since October 7.10. This is a multidimensional challenge that requires a comprehensive and ongoing response. The interim report presents a detailed, data-based picture of the phenomenon, and provides practical and applicable recommendations for decision-makers. However, in order to ensure Israel's scientific future, it is necessary to continue to monitor developments, analyze the findings, and continuously improve and update the tools and strategies for dealing with the boycott.

The project website presents various data collected so far, data analyses, and tools that have already been developed.

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