British Minister of Higher Education Bill Rammell, visiting Israel in the wake of support from a British lecturers union to boycott Israeli academic institutions, said Sunday that such a move was "fundamentally wrong."

"I hope my visit here sends a strong message of the views of the British government and people," Rammell told a press conference at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

He said that he is a strong believer in the globalization of higher education, which entails colleges and universities serving to bring together people from various nationalities. An academic boycott, he said, is the direct opposite of that.

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Rammell said he was convinced that "the vast majority of academics in Britain oppose a boycott," despite the resolution passed by the British University and College Union (UCU) that backs a boycott of Israel's academe.

The minister said that while there are some differences of opinion between Israel and Britain regarding Israel's relations with the Palestinians, an academic boycott does not help to advance the dialogue between moderate elements.

He added that he intends to set up a seminar in London involving Israeli, Palestinian and British academics aimed at discussing ways to advance peace talks in the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said the academics calling to boycott Israel are "extremists" and added that "they are trying to take advantage of the political situation. They have no idea what Israel's value system consists of and what challenges Israel faces on a day-to-day basis."

Livni expressed her hope that Rammel's visit to Israel "would help bridge the gap between perception and reality."

Education Minister Yuli Tamir said that the boycott resolution passed by the UCU in Britain contradicts academic thought.

On Thursday, Tamir and Livni announced the establishment of a joint task force between the Education and Foreign Ministries and the heads of the universities and colleges in Israel, which will prepare a public relations plan in response to the British boycott calls.