Statement by the International Academic Friends of Israel

Condemning Oxford Professor Andrew Wilkie's denial of position to Israeli Scientist

June 27, 2003, New York, New York -- Dr. Andy Marks, the Founder and Director of The International Academic Friends of Israel, a group whose mission is to promote academic freedom, spoke out today against the actions of Oxford University Professor Andrew Wilkie:

“We are saddened and outraged that efforts to isolate Israeli academics continue to gain momentum. Professor Wilkie’s blatant discrimination against a scientist based on his nationality is a dangerous threat to academic and scientific freedom. We cannot use political litmus tests to decide who can and cannot conduct scientific research."