London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone has expressed his opposition to the academic boycott of Israel by the University and College Union.
“Now is not the time for boycotts," he said. "Boycotts should only be used as a last resort, when there is no other alternative, such as was the case with South Africa but is not the case here.” Speaking at a meeting organized Tuesday night by the Movement for Reform Judaism and the London Jewish Forum, Livingstone said that such a boycott would undermine efforts to restart the Middle East "peace process."
It was Livingstone's first major public meeting with the Jewish community. In the past, Livingstone has accused Israel of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" and made remarks to a Jewish reporter that referred to the Holocaust in a way many found offensive.
“Now is not the time for boycotts," he said. "Boycotts should only be used as a last resort, when there is no other alternative, such as was the case with South Africa but is not the case here.” Speaking at a meeting organized Tuesday night by the Movement for Reform Judaism and the London Jewish Forum, Livingstone said that such a boycott would undermine efforts to restart the Middle East "peace process."
It was Livingstone's first major public meeting with the Jewish community. In the past, Livingstone has accused Israel of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" and made remarks to a Jewish reporter that referred to the Holocaust in a way many found offensive.