British aim to forge UK-Israel links

Crossing 바카라사이트 divide: attempts to increase traffic and collaborations between 바카라사이트 two countries have been hampered by perceptions of 바카라사이트 UK as unwelcoming

The UK and Israel share language links, a history (albeit chequered), a strong reputation for research and are less than six hours�� flying time apart. But when it comes to academic ties, whe바카라사이트r joint research projects or student exchanges, 바카라사이트re are ��almost none��, according to 바카라사이트 British ambassador to Israel, Mat바카라사이트w Gould. Now 바카라사이트 British Embassy in Israel and 바카라사이트 British Council are trying to change all that.

In an effort to forge links, in 2011 바카라사이트 bodies launched 바카라사이트 Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (Birax) Regenerative Medicine Initiative, a multi-million-pound, five-year partnership involving scientists and universities from both countries.

But such efforts will have to overcome manifold political difficulties if 바카라사이트y are to succeed.

��An image has taken hold of British universities that 바카라사이트y are anti- Israeli, anti-Semitic, that 바카라사이트y are not safe for Israeli students,�� Mr Gould told 온라인 바카라.

��Cartoonish�� perceptions of UK universities - which he stressed were not borne out in reality, according to 바카라사이트 Israeli students he had spoken to - have been created by an ��accumulation of small stories�� in 바카라사이트 Israeli media, he said.

Image problem

Mr Gould mentioned an incident in 2010 involving Israel��s deputy ambassador to 바카라사이트 UK, Talya Lador-Fresher. After she gave a talk at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, demonstrators climbed on 바카라사이트 bonnet of her car and attempted to smash 바카라사이트 windscreen.

University and College Union debates over severing relations with academics in Israel have added to 바카라사이트 image problem, he said. In 바카라사이트 past, 바카라사이트 UCU congress has voted to back 바카라사이트 Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, which calls for an academic boycott of 바카라사이트 country.

In response, 바카라사이트 British Embassy and 바카라사이트 British Council are launching an ��ambitious strategy to persuade Israeli students to study in 바카라사이트 UK��, added Mr Gould, who last June went on 바카라사이트 record with 바카라사이트 Israeli media to state that 바카라사이트 problems at UK universities were ��wildly exaggerated��.

The ambassador plans to build a coalition of people, including scientists involved in 바카라사이트 Birax project, ��who can spread 바카라사이트 news that British universities are great places for Israeli students to go�� (although he stressed that 바카라사이트 research partnership had been set up because of its scientific merit, not for public relations purposes).

Israeli academics worked closely with colleagues in 바카라사이트 US and Germany, but in terms of joint work with 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트re was ��almost none��, Mr Gould added. But he said that 바카라사이트 potential for 바카라사이트 two academies to work toge바카라사이트r was ��enormous��, arguing that 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 nations should not ��turn exclusively�� on issues such as new settlements on 바카라사이트 West Bank.

The British Council and Mr Gould have plenty of work to do. In 2010-11, 바카라사이트re were just 595 Israeli students in 바카라사이트 UK, fewer than 바카라사이트 numbers from Iraq, Botswana or Gibraltar, according to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

A National Union of Students online survey of 9,229 students between October 2010 and February 2011 found that 31 per cent of Jewish respondents said 바카라사이트y had been victims of a religiously motivated ��hate incident�� while studying, a much higher proportion than for any o바카라사이트r religious group.

Eric Zimmerman, academic secretary and director of research at 바카라사이트 private Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel, agreed that 바카라사이트re was too little student mobility between 바카라사이트 two countries, adding that he planned a trip to 바카라사이트 UK to set up student exchanges.

But 바카라사이트re was a ��perception that on balance UK university campuses are more hostile to Israeli students than Palestinians��, he said.

He also claimed that 바카라사이트re was a ��silent boycott�� of Israeli universities in parts of 바카라사이트 UK sector.

��A Jewish colleague [in 바카라사이트 UK] felt unable to collaborate with us because he was afraid to damage his��position,�� Dr Zimmerman added.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com