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How it happened that I planned speeches
at Israeli universities, then cancelled them.
-- Richard Stallman
2011-06-12
Palestinian free software activists invited me to speak at Palestinian
universities in July 2011, and offered funds for the trip. After this
was set up, I invited people I know in Israel to set up other talks
for me. Some of these were planned at universities.
When my Palestinian hosts found out about this, they objected to my
plan to speak at Israeli universities because the Palestinian
boycott/divestment/sanctions movement opposes academic cooperation
with them. My speeches are not academic cooperation in the usual
sense, but they took a strict interpretation of the criteria. They
said they would cancel the trip if I were going to speak at those
venues.
I don't advocate a blanket boycott of Israeli universities, but I
don't campaign against it either, because I see where they are coming
from. Israel's occupation policies are horrible; nonviolent
Palestinian protests are crushed with persistent brutality. (See
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=221897.)
Palestinians who are against violence are looking desperately for an
effective method of nonviolent resistance. I respect that even if I
don't agree entirely with the details.
So I decided to follow my Palestinians hosts' boycott policy in the
trip they organized, and I cancelled my speeches at Israeli
universities. I apologize for not anticipating that this issue would
arise. I have arranged two speeches at other venues in Israel,
one in Haifa and one in Jaffa. Details can be found in fsf.org.
I hope that Free Software / Barmagiyat Horrah / Tochna Chofshit can
provide an opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to experience
practical cooperation, and that this will make at least a small
contribution to peace.
Copyright 2011 Richard Stallman
Released under the Creative Commons Attribution Noderivs 3.0 unported license.