An international campaign for a boycott of Israeli artists, musicians, teachers, thinkers, writers, and researchers calls itself the “Academic Intifada.” Two years ago, it proposed that the British Association of University Teachers (AUT) should require its members to blacklist colleagues who worked for Israeli universities. This boycott was rejected by the AUT.

This past year, the campaigners came back with what they thought was a more sophisticated approach. They argued for boycotts against particular Israeli institutions, in the hope that they would gather momentum for a total boycott in due course. They also responded to the objection that such boycotts would silence even Israeli academics who oppose the Occupation. They offered an exemption for professors who would denounce the “colonialist and racist” policies of Israel.

This political test would require that Israeli academics apply for exemption on the basis of their political cleanliness. The AUT woul...

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