However, the above "guidelines" appear to be in contradiction of the AUT anti—racism code, which pledges to ensure "full recognition for, and participation by, members of all racial and ethnic groups in the AUT, in universities, and in the life of society generally."

AUT general secretary Sally Hunt released a statement saying that "the executive committee will issue guidance to AUT members on these decisions."

The boycott motions have prompted the immediate resignation of two Jewish academics from the AUT. Jonathan Ginzburg and Shalom Lappin, professors at King's College London, wrote in an open letter: "We feel that we have no choice but to resign from the AUT immediately, and we call upon our colleagues to do the same. We also appeal to the administrations of British universities and to other labor unions, at home and abroad, to withdraw recognition from the AUT until it rescinds this motion." Plans to launch an international boycott of the union are currently being discussed by Jewish academics in Britain.

In a statement released Saturday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry denounced the decision as "scandalous" and hypocritical.

"The fact that AUT chose to target Israel, the only country in the Middle East that has complete academic freedom for all segments of the population and all political streams is scandalous," the ministry said.

The ministry singled out countries such as Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia for suppressing academic freedom. The statement urged British academics to distance themselves from the boycott.  2