[vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ align_horizontal=”align_center” gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1/1″ uncode_shortcode_id=”150680″][vc_custom_heading text_font=”font-762333″ text_size=”bigtext” text_weight=”700″ text_transform=”capitalize” text_space=”fontspace-111509″ separator=”yes” sub_lead=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”410162″]ICAN Condemns American Anthropological Association Endorsement of BDS[/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”205121″]
July 24, 2023
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The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) is deeply concerned that the American Anthropological Association (AAA) has voted to endorse the antisemitic boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel and Jews.
Anthropology is a core subject that reaches a large number of students and intersects with many other disciplines. Its endorsement of BDS could potentially influence other areas of the university and associated academic communities, leading to widespread implications.
Let’s be clear: the primary victims of BDS are not the Israeli institutions targeted by the AAA resolution. It’s the students on U.S. campuses who suffer the most. The boycott demands faculty to:
- Terminate popular academic exchange programs in Israel
- Refuse to write recommendation letters for students wishing to study in Israel
- Disrupt or cancel educational programs about Israel or featuring Israeli scholars
This biased, anti-Israel perspective aims to alienate students from Israel and its supporters, including Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus. This violation of students’ academic rights deprives them of objective and crucial knowledge about a globally important topic and incites acts of aggression against them. Research shows a clear correlation between this harmful propaganda and acts of antisemitism on campus.
The declining confidence in higher education does not surprise us at ICAN. AAA’s regrettable action, replacing scholarship with extremist hateful ideology, calls for immediate action from university leaders. They must protect their students and uphold the principles of the academy. We call on university presidents to denounce BDS and the AAA resolution, sever ties with AAA, and ensure that BDS can never be implemented on their campuses.
At ICAN, we stand with our students, faculty, and administration working to create a safer life for Jewish and Israeli-American students on campus, and will fight to ensure their rights and safety are protected. We continue to strive for a better America, a more secure Israel, and a stronger U.S. – Israel alliance.
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”140603″]The Israeli-American Civic Action Network is dedicated to empowering Israeli immigrants and American allies to create change for a better America, a more secure Israel, and a stronger U.S. – Israel alliance through advocacy education and civic action. Learn more at IsraelUSA.org.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]