(Telegraph-UK) Jake Wallis Simons - It is sad that Stephen Hawking, the eminent physicist, has decided to contribute towards the closing of debate by supporting the academic boycott of Israel. This partisan move has moved him from the realms of objective, concerned observer to an instrument of one particular side against the other. Professor Hawking is patronizing from the sidelines while ignoring the complexities of the debate. When Britain found itself under existential threat from Nazi Germany, our response involved the explicit bombing of civilians and the torture of detainees; by comparison, Israel is doing rather well. Life in perpetual danger pushes a democracy to extremes. While this should never be used as an excuse, to boycott a country like Israel from the comfort of cosy old Britain is rather short-sighted. It is absolutely Hawking's prerogative to criticize Israel all he likes. But boycotting Israel's scientists, intellectuals, actors, musicians and dancers does nothing to bring peace, and everything to entrench the conflict. It is a sad display of partisanship.
2013-05-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive