Opposition warning on BDS

TERTIARY institutions that support the anti-Israel boycott movement risk undermining the standing of unis, the opposition says.

TERTIARY institutions and organisations within them that support the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement risk undermining the standing of universities, the opposition has warned.

"The support for the BDS campaign by the Sydney University Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies does nothing to enhance the public's perception about the contribution of universities to national interest," higher education spokesman Brett Mason said yesterday.

"The higher education sector correctly feels undervalued by the wider Australian community.

"For those working to help reverse that perception, support from within a major university for such a boycott does not make it any easier to argue the importance of universities and advocate for the sector."

The Australian revealed last week that the centre had rejected a request for assistance from an Israeli academic, Dan Avnon, despite his being credited with developing the country's only civics curriculum designed for both Jewish and Arab school students. The university quickly distanced itself from the centre's director, Jake Lynch.

Higher Education Minister Chris Evans yesterday restated his opposition to the BDS in remarks to the online Jewish community news service, J-Wire.

"The Australian government has repeatedly made clear that we strongly and unequivocally oppose the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign," he said.

Senator Evans said he had asked his office to contact the university to confirm its position on BDS. "The university confirmed that it does not support the anti-Israeli BDS movement," he told J-Wire.

Abe Quadan, a member of the centre's council, defended its pro-BDS stand as "ethical", comparing it with the boycott of apartheid-era South Africa.