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Collateral Damage: The Hidden Costs of the Ariel Boycott

(Huffington Post) Qanta Ahmed - In an increasingly polarized world, anti-Israeli boycott as a means to influence political climate is urged more and more often. The cultural boycott of the Ariel Cultural Center in the West Bank seeks to penalize spaces which should remain sacrosanct and devoid of political positioning. Cultural and academic boycotts carry their own special devastation, taking causalities on all sides of ideological divides. As a Muslim physician enriched by American Jewish and Israeli colleagues I feel especially strongly that channels of collaboration and engagement must always remain open. Such dialogue is especially important at times of heightened tension. The extraordinary successes Israelis have demonstrated through a nearly peerless intellectual aegis is something all of us must learn from, particularly within the surrounding region. Boycotts seek to put a stop to exactly such valuable exchanges. I support all Israeli scientists, physicians and artists and their academic efforts without restriction, and those who collaborate with them, because I am enriched by such collaboration both to my benefit and that of my practice of medicine.
2010-10-08 09:44:36
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