"Umberto Eco Opposes Boycotts of Israel"

Renowned Italian writer Umberto Eco said at an Israeli book fair Wednesday that boycotting scholars for their governments' policies is akin to racism.
It was his response to British writers who called on prominent British novelist Ian McEwan to reject an Israeli literary prize this week as a way of protesting Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. McEwan, who wrote the celebrated 2001 novel "Atonement," accepted the Jerusalem Prize at the book fair's opening ceremony earlier this week but peppered his acceptance speech with tough criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Eco told reporters that unlike McEwan, he faced no pressure from colleagues to stay away from the Israeli book fair, and he does not support boycotts.
In answering questions about his opinion of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, Eco joked, "I have so much to say against the Italian government that I have no time to speak about the Israeli government."

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[diadorim1234]

I dont really think the left gets it. Turkey is illegally occupying europeand land: northern cyprus, has etnically cleansed it off europeans, has moved 150.000 kolonists to the occupied part and has built an illegal seperation wall on the island. Considering the fact that all Turks in europe also hold turkish nationality, a rightwing boycot off turkey would mean that all turks in eurrope would be boycotted.

[IBKTB]

Bravo! Grazie signore Eco!

[pederman15]

theres a very sane jewish man called mr finkelstein. i suggest everyone checks him out with a unbiased attitude like i did. he`s very interesting.

[tinydancer1965]

@pederman15 Yes.

[pederman15]

@tinydancer1965 in regards to earlier comments. you probably didnt know this but his family is also palastinian. they were all imprisioned by the israelis in a place called gaza and massacred. he is alone on this world. hes a swell guy

[KayKups]

Sounds like quite a guy. And to tink, I have this impression simply because he is sane.

[tinydancer1965]

Maybe there are people who are moral and to whom justice is important. He is one of them.

[zgpinc]

about time someone spoke sanely.

[abarzilai664]

Eco is no rightie so it will hard for the anti-Israel camp to demonize him.