Is Stephen Hawking right to boycott a high-profile conference in Israel?

But none as influential maybe lilygran with its many wealthy sympathisers who make political donations in the US.

Seems odd to me that the academic boycott seems only to be targeted on Israel. There are other more repressive regimes.

Yes accept, let them publicise he is coming and then drop them in it by backing out. Sounds about right Prof. Sounds like a bit of a self congratulatory junket rather than an academic conference?
And it cannot be easy travelling with his disability - probably easier to go into space than to put up with the indignities of air travel.

He has the right to boycott if he so wishes.

I think this should bring publicity to the worst excesses of the Israeli government and restart discussion. I agree with gracesmum

It's a tricky one. It seems to me he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Boycotts as opposed to attending and speaking one's mind are always difficult. Would he be able to speak his mind? Is this academic boycott something wider reaching than mentioned in the article? Israel is such a sensitive area (in every sense) anybody who speaks ou against aggressive Zionism seems in danger of being labelled anti-Semitic and we all know that is not the same thing.