Six of the eleven invited speakers have confirmed their withdrawal from a physics workshop at Ariel University, which is built on occupied Palestinian land in an illegal Israeli settlement. Palestinian academics urge remaining speakers to withdraw from the workshop.

Around 200 leading legal experts have signed a statement defending the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS) as a lawful exercise of freedom of expression.

Steps by European companies and governments to restrict business with West Bank settlements are rekindling longstanding fears in Israel of a broader economic boycott over its treatment of the Palestinians.

After facing criticism from activist groups in the Netherlands, Vitens, the Dutch drinking-water company, said this week that it was cutting ties with Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, because it had business in the occupied West Bank.

Separately, UK Trade & Investment, the business promotion body, published guidance last week warning companies of the risks of doing business wi

Letter signed by 15 former EU leaders counters attempts by Israel and U.S. to scrap or delay the move to stop cooperating with firms in the settlements.

A group of 15 former senior European officials has urged the European Union not to soften or delay new settlement guidelines slated to take effect on January 1, and in particular to ensure they apply to the Horizon 2020 scientific cooperation program.

The letter, dated September 16, was sent to all EU foreign ministers by the European Eminent Persons Group, whose stated goal is promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace.