The Guardian reports that Stephen Hawking's decision to boycott Israel was the result of a private letter sent to the famed physicist by 20 academic colleagues. Among the signatories was Noam Chomsky, who has been a vocal critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
Hawking has rarely expressed political views, but he was clear about his reasons for not attending the upcoming presidential conference in Israel. A statement he approved referred to "his independent decision to respect the boycott, based upon his knowledge of Palestine, and on the unanimous advice of his own academic contacts there."
Pro-Palestinian activists cheered the news.
Jessica Stites is Editorial Director of In These Times.
