#BDS: European Platform for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (EPACBI) brings boycott movement to a higher level in Europe

The first European meeting of academics in support of the PACBI Call for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel convened in Paris on 25 and 26 September 2010. Together with a representative from PACBI, over 50 academics from nine countries discussed the coordination of the campaign across Europe in order to respond more effectively to the Call, which is backed by the majority of Palestinian civil society organizations and federations. This comes at a time of growing international strength of the boycott movement and stresses the need to address the complicity of Israeli academic institutions in denying Palestinian rights as guaranteed by international law.

Academic delegations came from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, following the invitation by AURDIP (Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine) and BRICUP (British Committee for the Universities of Palestine).

A major outcome of the conference was the formation of a European Platform for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (EPACBI) as a joint coordination structure. Its aim is to enable the network of national groups and organizations and to develop common European projects and campaigns. PACBI’s guidelines for the international academic and cultural boycott were overwhelmingly adopted as common principles to assist and empower boycott projects within the European contexts.