A flier distributed to academic staff at Manchester University has been branded unlawful and contrary to the University’s dignity at work policy.  UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has warned that the flier, which urges staff to boycott a joint research fund with Tel Aviv University, constitutes and incites discrimination, harassment and bullying.

The flier describes Tel Aviv University (TAU) as a “Beacon of Ethnic Cleansing” amid red hand prints and red drips.  It says “Dear Colleague – Don’t disgrace yourself and your reputation by applying for the UoM-TAU joint research fund. It is a partnership soaked in Palestinian blood”.

Those distributing the flier, produced by UOM Staff 4 Palestine, apparently tried to avoid it coming to the attention of Israeli staff members. This suggests they are aware of its problematic nature.

UKLFI has pointed out to Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility, that the flier is highly offensive and disrespectful to University staff, who are exercising  their academic freedom to carry out research with colleagues from TAU under a programme endorsed by the University’s Senate. It also makes highly misleading allegations about TAU, which actively promotes diversity, tolerance, peace and human rights.

UKLFI explained that the flier appears to be a flagrant violation of the University’s Dignity at Work and Study Policy which emphasises that “everyone has the right to be treated with respect at The University of Manchester”. Under Clause 1 of this Policy, “All members of the University community, whether staff or students, are required to treat each other in a friendly, courteous and dignified manner.”

UKLFI added that the flier constitutes and incites discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation against staff who participate in the programme with TAU in breach of Clause 2 of the Policy and also of the Equality Act 2010 as noted in Clause 3.

Participants in the joint programme are threatened with harassment, bullying and victimisation because of their association with fellow academics possessing the protected characteristic of Israeli nationality (associative discrimination, harassment etc.).

It also puts at a disadvantage participants in the joint programme, who are more likely to have protected characteristics of Israeli nationality, Jewish ethnicity and/or religion, and/or a philosophical belief in the right of Israel to exist as an independent state (indirect discrimination).

As the Policy states in Clause 5, “All members of the University community are responsible for ensuring that they behave in an acceptable manner, showing respect for staff, students, and visitors.” “Legitimate, reasonable and constructive criticism of performance or behaviour” is of course permissible, as noted in Clause 6. However, this flier cannot be described as “legitimate, reasonable and constructive”.

The flier contains many antisemitic blood libels about TAU and Israel including the following:

• The joint research fund “disguises and normalises TAU’s role as a key pillar of Israeli apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide”;
• “academics are not free to provide cover and legitimation for racist brutality, mass slaughter and war crimes”;
• “The renewal of this partnership is … an active choice by UoM to support Israel in its criminal project of apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide”.

UKLFI has asked the University of Manchester to take the initiative by informing all staff that the circulation of fliers such as this is unacceptable and unlawful; and warning that if any member of staff brings a legal claim as a result, the University will not defend or support those responsible and will itself seek compensation from them for any costs or damages which it incurs.

Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI commented: “Having failed to persuade the University’s Senate to engage in an unlawful boycott, anti-Israel staff are now resorting to gruesome intimidation. This should have no place in a leading academic institution. We hope that Manchester University will make it very clear that it is totally unacceptable and that those responsible should not expect to remain in position if this conduct is repeated.”