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The Association of University Teachers is under intense pressure to drop its boycott of two Israeli universities. According to Professor Geraldine Van Beuren, a law professor at Queen Mary, University of London, and the University of Cape Town, the boycott contravenes international law. 'In seeking to protect the human rights of Palestinians, the AUT boycott runs counter to international human-rights law,' she says. An earlier attempt by the University of Paris VI to boycott Israeli universities was criticised by the UN.
The signs are that her views are shared by some AUT members. Under a union rule, a group of rebel academics has collected 25 signatures calling for a special council meeting to vote down the decision. The AUT received the plea on Tuesday this week. Under the rule it must hold...