<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Israeli Law Professors Protest Anti-Boycott&nbsp;Law]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>PNN &#8211; Palestine News Network &#8211; 14.07.11 &#8211; 10:46</p>
<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;"><strong>PNN &#8211; Tel Aviv &#8211; Thirty-two Israeli academics have signed a petition against the newly-passed anti-boycott law.</strong></p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;"><img style="float:right;" title="Image" src="https://i1.wp.com/english.pnn.ps/images/stories/2008/knesset02.jpg" alt="Image" width="314" height="209" border="0" hspace="6" />The law was passed on Monday and allows anyone who feels threatened by a call to boycott to bring a civil lawsuit against the person or organization who called for the boycott.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">Organizations who advocate for a boycott against Israel or the settlements will lose their special status and subsidies from the government.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">The petition is directed at Israel&#8217;s Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and is signed by law professors from across the country, including several former and current deans of Israeli law schools.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">The academics say the law is an attack on freedom of expression and an example of a tyranny of the majority, where the parliamentary majority is using its power to silence a minority.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">Alon Havel, a professor at Hebrew Univeristy, told Israeli daily Haaretz, &#8220;The restrictions are not neutral with regard to worldview, but are aimed at promoting one viewpoint and subjugating another.&#8221;</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">It is the responsibility of lawyers to fight laws like the boycott law, said Havel.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset on Wednesday saying he firmly supported the new law. He called the efforts against it &#8220;reckless, irresponsible attacks.&#8221;</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">The new law is the product of democratic processes in a democratic state, said Netanyahu.</p>
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<p style="font:12px Helvetica;margin:0;">The petition joins the chorus of Israeli, Palestinian and international voices calling out against the new law, who say it stifles freedom of expression and legitimate, democratic protest.</p>
<p><a href="http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=10433&amp;Itemid=61">Source</a></p>
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