More than a month ago, Amnesty International joined Human Rights Watch in calling Israeli practices against Palestinians an "Aparthied" system, asking the international community to boycott Israel and its officials to pressure them into ending oppression against Palestinians.
Consequently, many organizations around the world have been receiving calls for boycotting Israel, including New York University, which has an annual six-week study abroad program in Tel Aviv.
"#NYU, shut down the Tel Aviv study abroad site@amnesty released a report last month concluding that israel is guilty of perpetrating apartheid & other violations of international law against #Palestinians. NYU’s Tel Aviv academic center & partnership..."https://t.co/yMSTaXS3Ww
— Al-Awda NY (@AlAwda) March 1, 2022
Students and activists at New York University addressed the reputable academic institution in an op-ed published at the university's independent newspaper "Washington Square News", demanding an end to the program held in Israel, citing the recent Amnesty International report on Israeli violations of human rights.
NYU believes that academic boycotts — and let’s not quibble: the closing of our Tel Aviv program would amount to nothing less — violate the principles of academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas to which NYU is committed. - John Beckman
However, a statement by the university rejected the calls and stressed its plans to carry on with the study abroad program in Israel.
In a letter written by the university's spokesperson John Beckman and published by the same newspaper, the university reaffirmed its commitment to the program held every year in Israel, explaining that the institution "opposes academic boycotts" as a whole.
