Modern Language Association Votes on Resolution Criticizing Israel

[oberliner]

Delegates to the Modern Language Association’s annual convention upheld a resolution accusing Israel of keeping Palestinian academics from entering the West Bank, but rejected another expressing solidarity with academics that boycott Israel.

After an hour or so of acrimonious debate in Chicago on Saturday, the MLA’s delegate assembly in a 60-53 vote approved a resolution calling on the U.S. State Department to “contest Israel’s denials of entry to the West Bank by U. S. academics who have been invited to teach, confer, or do research at Palestinian universities.”

The resolution goes to the MLA’s executive committee for consideration next month. If the executive committee approves it, it goes to the full membership.

Another resolution referred to a vote last month by the American Studies Association to boycott Israeli universities, and its aftermath, in which over 180 American universities have rejected any such boycott.

That resolution, defeated 59-41, “condemns the attacks on the ASA and supports the right of academic organizations and individuals, free from intimidation, to take positions in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against racism.”

http://forward.com/articles/190774/modern-language-association-votes-on-resolution-cr/#ixzz2qDsFjjpg

[Jefferson23]

1. Hard to imagine why anyone would find it fair to boycott Israeli policy.

New Israeli excavation near Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli archaeological teams have recently started new excavations near the Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said in a statement on Sunday.

The foundation said that its teams had noticed surface and underground excavations near the tunnel, which runs from the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Silwan.

The excavations are the continuation of an Israeli project to build a biblical park in the area alongside the City of David archaeological park, the statement added.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=664641









in full: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=664641