JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A group of Israeli academics has signed a petition calling for a boycott of the Ariel University Center in the West Bank saying its existence prevents peace.
More than 150 Israeli academics who work in higher education, have signed a petition initiated by Professor Nir Gov of the Weizmann Institute's Department of Chemical Physics, that says the university campus was built on occupied Palestinian land and its existence prevents Israelis from living in peace with its neighbors, The Jerusalem Post said Sunday.
Education Minister Gideon Saar called the petition an act of provocation, the newspaper said.
The campus is in close proximity to the Palestinians who are forced to live under harsh conditions and lack basic human rights, a clause in the petition states.
Professor Rivka Carmi, chair of the Heads of University Committee, urged fellow faculty members to oppose the boycott, saying such protests do not represent members of Israel's academic institutes, the paper said.
Professor Ron Naaman of the Weizmann Institute, a signatory of the petition, told Israel Radio that academic activities carried out in the West Bank hurt the State of Israel. The goal of the petition he said is to differentiate between academics at the Ariel Center and academics who live in the rest of Israel.
The Ariel University Center of Samaria is located in the city of Ariel and was established in 1982.
