Famed physicist Stephen Hawking has canceled his plans to attend an international conference in Israel in June, stating that he wants to respect a protest of Israeli academics.
After Palestinian academic colleagues informed Hawking of their boycott, The University of Cambridge sent out an official statement explaining Hawking's abstention.
Initially, the University thought they had "previously understood" that Hawking did not want to fly due to his health, as the British scientist is 71 years old and has a motor neuron disease.
But they have now been informed that Hawking will skip the conference "based on advice from Palestinian academics that he should respect the boycott," reports USA Today.
This slight, but significant move makes Hawking a public figure in the boycott, which has been organized to put pressure on the Israeli government to grant Palestine independence as an established country.
Naturally, organizers of the conference are angered with Hawking's decision not only to skip the conference, but to publicly dash Israel's politics.
Israel Maimon, Conference Chairman, said that Hawking's decision was "unjustifiable and wrong."
"The academic boycott against Israel is, in our view, outrageous and improper," he said. "Certainly for someone for whom the spirit of liberty lies at the basis of his human and academic mission."
Palestinians, Israeli leftists and various other supporters who are against Israel's policies on Palestinians have led the campaign.
They are aware of the boons of celebrity, and have therefore reached out to a slew of entertainers, artists and public figures, in efforts to convince them to cut off Israeli ties of any kind.
Elvis Costello, the Pixies, British band Klaxons, and Gorillaz have all canceled concerts in Israel.
Hawking canceled his trip just days after Google changed its location on the Palestinian version of its site from "Palestinian Territories," to "Palestine," recognizing its status as a "non-member observer state."
