MLA’s delegate committee passed the resolution on Saturday in reaction to travel and admission restrictions imposed on scholars and academic institutions by the Tel Aviv regime.

The resolution also calls on the US Department of State to “contest Israel’s denials of entry to the West Bank by US academics who have been invited to teach, confer, or do research at Palestinian universities.”

The advocators of the resolution criticize the Israeli regime for rights abuses.

The MLA argued that such acts pose a serious threat to academic freedom, urging Tel Aviv to stop the trend.

The resolution will be further reviewed by the MLA executive committee next month.

Founded in 1883, the Modern Language Association of America provides opportunities for its members to share their scholarly findings and teaching experiences with colleagues and to discuss trends in the academy.

The MLA resolution came after the American Studies Association voted to support a boycott of Israeli universities.

Three Academic associations have so far supported the boycott, which calls on American schools and academic groups to ban collaboration with Israeli institutions, but individual Israeli scholars who do not represent Tel Aviv would still be able to attend academic events in the United States.

NTJ/HH