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Israelis furious over Stephen Hawking’s conference pullout over Palestinian boycott call
Globe and Mail ^ | 05/08/2013 | Patrick Martin

Posted on 05/08/2013 10:14:26 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

British physicist Stephen Hawking has announced he is withdrawing from a leading Israeli conference in deference to a Palestinian call to boycott this and other Israeli events.

The decision by Prof. Hawking, who was to have been a key speaker at the Israeli Presidential Conference next month in Jerusalem, has infuriated conference organizers and delivered one of the biggest names yet to the ranks of the growing international campaign to boycott Israel.

It also has drawn the enormous attention of Israelis themselves. By the end of the day Wednesday in Israel, items related to Prof. Hawking’s announcement were the number one, three and six of the most widely read pieces on the Haaretz newspaper’s website.

The annual Presidential Conference, now in its fifth year, is hosted by Shimon Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his efforts to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

According to its website, the conference brings together “world leaders, international scholars, activists, poets and scientists, artists and clergy, entrepreneurs, economists and industrialists, as well as representatives of the next generation of leaders” in order to discuss issues of geopolitics, economics, environment, culture and more. This year’s conference also is a celebration of Mr. Peres’s 90th birthday.

In his letter to conference organizers, Prof. Hawking stated he had reconsidered his earlier agreement to participate in the event. “I have received a number of e-mails from Palestinian academics,” he wrote. “They are unanimous that I should respect the boycott. In view of this, I must withdraw from the conference. Had I attended I would have stated my opinion that the policy of the present Israeli government is likely to lead to disaster.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: boycott; israel; stephenhawking; unitedkingdom; waronterror
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To: SeekAndFind

How do we know what Hawkins is really saying? Sometimes it looks like a living version of Weekend at Bernies


21 posted on 05/08/2013 10:49:36 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (3 guns when you only have one arm? "I just don't want to get killed for lack of shooting back")
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To: VanDeKoik

Bill Nye? Really? A scientist That’s funny.

Ever catch “Almost Live” reruns from Seattle? Bill Nye the science guy was his schtick on a local 2 bit comedy show from the ‘80’s.

Ever read or heard of any scientific publications from Bill? Neither have I! He is funny demonstrating tricks and clever things on TV, a Mr. Wizard clone.

I do agree 100% with your original point however.


22 posted on 05/08/2013 10:54:14 AM PDT by bigfootbob
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To: SeekAndFind
Let me remind Stephen Hawking of TWO old proverbs based in eastern religion and I believe attributed to Lao Tzu.

"HE HE KNOWS DOES NOT SPEAK AND HE WHO SPEAKS DOES NOT KNOW."

also

"IF YOU DO NOT CHANGE DIRECTION, YOU MAY END UP WHERE YOU ARE HEADING."

Although Hawking has been attributed to being highly intelligent I find he more often that not misses the moment in regard to operating in the here & now.

23 posted on 05/08/2013 11:01:39 AM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: TSgt

I wonder if he would still be an atheist if those two took off their bikinis and bonked him.


24 posted on 05/08/2013 11:07:18 AM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Someday our schools will teach the difference between "lose" and "loose")
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To: VideoDoctor
CORRECTION:

"HE WHO KNOWS DOES NOT SPEAK AND HE WHO SPEAKS DOES NOT KNOW."

25 posted on 05/08/2013 11:07:40 AM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: SeekAndFind

Israel ? I would tell them to don’t come back and don’t let the door hit ya were the good lord split ya !


26 posted on 05/08/2013 11:10:26 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist
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To: SeekAndFind

I remember a special on “The Universe” where Steven said we are finally closing in on the objective truth about the Universe where no God is required.

In the next segment he stated that over 80% of the mass of the Universe is dark matter, which has never been detected by human beings.

I hope I am not the only one who sees the irony in this.


27 posted on 05/08/2013 11:23:19 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Go Egypt on 0bama)
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To: SeekAndFind
It saddens me to see people INSTANTLY pile on Stephen Hawking (or any other well known person that has their actions attributed to reasons or causes by OTHER people).

“BDS lied about Stephen Hawking joining anti-Israel academic boycott”

Article Right Here on FR

According to the email sent, he cancelled his trip for health reasons on the advice of his doctor.

This is a lesson in stepping back, taking a breath, and finding out what is REALLY going on before piling on someone.

None of the sources listed quoted or produced a statement by the Professor himself (the only document apparently is the email stating "health reasons"). High profile people can have their actions hijacked by organizations that want to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities.
28 posted on 05/08/2013 11:26:36 AM PDT by Rebel_Ace (Tags?!? Tags?!? We don' neeeed no stinkin' Tags!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Seriously? Irate? I bet most aren’t even annoyed. Some might be even be relieved.


29 posted on 05/08/2013 11:38:25 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: SeekAndFind

Seriously? Irate? I bet most aren’t even annoyed. Some might be even be relieved.


30 posted on 05/08/2013 11:38:25 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: bigfootbob

In his case he likes to be passed off by lefties as a “science” authority. ;-)

A whole generation of kids know him as “the science guy” based on some show he did back in the 90s, so now he has some sort of standing now with 20-somethings.

I first knew him from Almost Live back when they used to show it on Comedy Central when I was a teenager, and he was funny enough, but now he just comes across as a washed up, bitter David Letterman type.


31 posted on 05/08/2013 11:38:57 AM PDT by VanDeKoik
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

Exactly.
And no loss.


32 posted on 05/08/2013 11:50:33 AM PDT by TurkeyLurkey
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To: SeekAndFind

Since it is Mr. Peres’ 90th birthday, I do wish him a Happy Birthday.


33 posted on 05/08/2013 12:37:03 PM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: VanDeKoik

Only thing you need to know about Bill Nye to illustrate where he’s coming from, is he’s from Seattle...’nuff said? ;)


34 posted on 05/08/2013 7:36:26 PM PDT by bigfootbob
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To: SeekAndFind

35 posted on 05/08/2013 7:40:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: SeekAndFind

From the note he wrote, we see that he himself knows diddly skwat about the topic of Israel and its terrorist neighbors, who call themselves “Palestinians.” If he knew history, he’d know Israel, which used to be called Palestine, is and always was the homeland of the Jewish people and no other people. Others came and left. Mark Twain would be a good source. He visited the place and called it the homeland of the Jews. This Hawkling relied on notes from propagandists, rather than bothering to find out the facts for himself. Maybe he knows science, but he’s clueless on this one.


36 posted on 05/08/2013 11:21:10 PM PDT by Seeing More Clearly Now
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To: Seeing More Clearly Now

The facts do not matter, the left is all about power and embracing lies is one of the tactics.


37 posted on 05/08/2013 11:22:02 PM PDT by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: Obadiah

For all his juice, he couldn’t keep the Texas Supercollider project alive.

They spent a billion digging the hole, and another filling it in. They ended up building it in Europe, where all of the actual talent in cosmology now resides.

Oh well.


38 posted on 05/09/2013 3:09:29 PM PDT by RinaseaofDs
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