Australian academic Matthew Champion has refused demands from over 100 colleagues and activists to boycott the international Dan David Prize, which he won. Colleagues accused him in an open letter of 'normalizing genocide'—a reference to Israel—by accepting the prestigious $500,000 history prize, co-granted by Tel Aviv University.
Australian historian Matthew Champion is under intense pressure from over 100 academics and activists who demanded he renounce the Dan David Prize, a prestigious international history award worth roughly $500,000, co-granted by Tel Aviv University. An open letter charged that accepting the prize constitutes 'normalizing genocide'—a reference to Israel—and launched what the report describes as an aggressive pressure campaign. Champion reportedly refused the demand.
The incident is the latest in a pattern of academic boycott efforts targeting Israeli-linked academic awards and institutions, including the Dan David Prize, which has been awarded since 2001. The report, via Israeli media, did not include a direct quote from Champion or name the specific signatories beyond 'over 100 lecturers and activists.'
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