Press release by SA Zionist Federation Cape Council (SAZF CC) condemning the UCT's Council decisions to endorse Israeli boycotts.
24 June 2024
The recent decisions by the University of Cape Town's (UCT) council to endorse motions calling for the boycott of Israeli institutions mark a troubling turn in the university's commitment to academic freedom and global collaboration.
The South African Zionist Federation Cape Council (SAZF CC) is deeply dismayed by this development, which poses significant risks to the university’s academic and financial well-being, as well as to the principles of intellectual freedom and diversity.
One motion targets a boycott of Israeli universities associated with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Given Israel’s universal conscription policy, this effectively amounts to a blanket boycott of all Israeli academic institutions. Such a sweeping measure undermines the essence of academic freedom, which thrives on the free exchange of ideas and the collaboration of scholars across borders.
This boycott infringes upon the constitutional right of UCT staff and students to freely associate and collaborate with their peers worldwide. Academic freedom depends on the diversity of perspectives and the opportunity for open debate, both of which are stifled by such actions.