Musician and human rights activist Bob Geldof will accept an honorary degree from Israel’s Ben Gurion University later this year, thus ignoring the Palestinian call to boycott Israeli institutions. Ben Gurion University itself is particularly active in supporting the Israeli army and arms industry.

The award is meant to honor Geldof's anti-poverty activism, including organizing the Live Aid and Live 8 concerts, and his work with a range of charitable causes.

During his visit, Mr Geldof, who has been twice nominated for the Nobel Peace, will also attend a conference on humanitarian aid while in Israel, entitled “Israel in Africa – Past, Present and Future”, being organised by The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid (IsraAID).

The Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott Initiative (PACBI) was launched in Ramallah in 2004 and called on the international community to comprehensively and consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions until Israel withdraws from all lands occupied in 1967, removes all colonies on these lands, abides by UN resolutions concerning Palestinian refugees’ rights and dismantles its apartheid system. This call later fed into the 2005 united Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of Human Rights.

Palestinian civil society is thus clear in asking Bob Geldof and all artists not to collaborate with Israeli institutions, including universities.

Furthermore, Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is an active collaborate with and perpetuator of Israel’s occupation and discrimination against Palestinians.

For example, BGU maintains protocols for assisting army reserve students; granted scholarships to students who served in combat units during Israel’s 2008-2009 military attacks on the Gaza Strip; initiated the idea for a “military medical school”; grants military pilots an undergraduate degree in a shortened time; and employs its “security” forces to harass political activists.

In September 2010, over 250 South African academics initiated a campaign calling on the University of Johannesburg (UJ) to end its long-standing relationship with Ben-Gurion University.

This UJ Petition is strongly supported PACBI, as well as the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE).

In support of their campaign, the UJ Petition Committee produced a 45-page report providing a broad overview of BGU's practices in relation to the Israeli army, Israel's occupation, discriminatory practices and the suppression of academic freedom.

BGU's Senate has instituted a prohibition on lecturers, preventing them from voicing their political opinions during classes, as well as referencing their university titles when speaking publicly (including via op-ed articles and news items) about politics or their personal opinions.

Further and based on the report’s findings, BGU actively participates in  programs specifically sponsored by and benefiting the army. For example, through its technology transfer company, BGU has an ongoing partnership with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd (“Rafael”). According to its public relations material Rafael 'develops and produces state-of-the-art armaments for the IDF and Israel’s defense system’.

The Alternative Information Center will be joining with the thousands of Palestinian, international and anti-colonial Israeli activists who will be calling on Bob Geldof in the coming days to personally honour his commitment to human rights and refuse to accept the honorary degree from Ben Gurion University.