MOTIONS PASSED: The Guardian reports that the AUT has passed two of the three motions to boycott three Israeli universities. The motions to boycott Haifa University and Bar Ilan University passed, while the motion to boycott the Hebrew University was dropped or delayed (not clear which) when the very weak evidence against it was challenged. The following is interesting and my hat is off to Alastair Hunter:

At the end of the vote, delegates angrily demanded to be able to voice their opposition to the new policy and to the cutting short of the debate, due to lack of time, so that no opposition other than from the executive was heard.

Alastair Hunter, a delegate from Glasgow, speaking from the back of the Winter Gardens conference hall, where the debate took place, called the motions "divisive". He said: "I am disgusted we were not given a chance to debate fully."

The BBC also covers the story. Some interesting information in their report:

The lecturers' decision has been criticised by representatives of the executives of Britain's universities, Universities UK.

A spokesperson said: "UUK condemns the resolution from AUT which is inimical to academic freedom, including the freedom of academics to collaborate with other academics."

[...]

But the Academic Friends of Israel in the UK said the boycott was "based on false information, imposes discriminatory boycott and vetting of political opinions, and is a backward step in the current climate of positive moves being made in the region".

"It is also the beginning of a dangerous process against the tenets of academic freedom and may rebound on the AUT itself," it said.

It also condemned the way that it had been made difficult for pro-Israel voices to be heard.

The group's chair, Ronnie Fraser, said: "Israelis and Palestinians will continue to co-operate even without the AUT, as they, who live the reality of the Middle East, know no other alternative is available for them.

"If the sponsors of this boycotting campaign succeeded in something, it is only to undermine further progress, collaboration and peace in the Middle East and to marginalise the standing of the AUT and its members in the academic community."

The last sentence is certainly true. I suspect that the main result of this shameful decision is that the international and national credibility of the AUT will now be seriously damaged and any influence it may have had to do some good will be compromised. I certainly want nothing to do with it as long as it comes up with policies like this.