The anthropologists’ campaign for boycott issued the following statement on the defeat of an anti-boycott resolution at the American Anthropological Association conference:

AAA Resoundingly Defeats Anti-Boycott Resolution

Association Also Endorses Statement on Racialized Police Violence in U.S.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 – The American Anthropological Association (AAA) rejected by acclamation a resolution aimed at shutting down debate on boycotting Israeli academic institutions. Nearly all of the 700 voting members present opposed the resolution, with only 52 voting in favor.

The proposed resolution expressed opposition to any boycott of Israeli academic institutions. In recent months, over 1,000 anthropologists have signed a boycott pledge to protest Israel”s ongoing, systematic, and widespread violations of Palestinian academic freedom and human rights. The boycott would not apply to Israeli academics as individuals.

Anthropologists campaigning for the boycott elected not to pursue a resolution at this AAA meeting in favor of building the broadest possible support among members over the coming months. They sponsored a series of panels at the AAA meetings to raise awareness about the boycott and about human rights violations in Palestine. Despite this, proponents of the boycott sought to short-circuit the debate by forcing the AAA to take an anti-boycott position now.

In addition, the AAA adopted by acclamation a statement on anti-black police violence in the United States protesting the impunity recently granted to police officers in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island for killing unarmed black men. The statement also called upon the AAA to establish a task force to explore issues around racialized police brutality.

More details to follow.