British Minister of Higher Education Bill Rammell, who is visiting Israel in the wake of a decision by Britain's lecturers union to recommend a boycott of Israeli universities, said yesterday that a boycott was "fundamentally wrong."

Speaking at a press conference at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Rammell said that both progressive and reactionary views can be found in both Israel and the territories, and boycotts merely entrench the positions of those who want to take a hardline position. The British government has concerns about the occupation and its effects on education, he said, but these will be addressed with the Israeli government.

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"I hope my visit here sends a strong message of the views of the British government and people," said Rammell, who also met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Education Minister Yuli Tamir.

He added that he is a strong believer in the globalization of higher education, which brings together people of various nationalities, and an academic boycott is the direct opposite of that.

Rammell told Livni that most of the British public opposes a boycott, believing that education should serve to resolve conflicts, not increase them.

Livni termed those calling for a boycott "extremists" who "are trying to take advantage of the political situation. They know nothing about Israel's value system, or about what challenges Israel faces on a daily basis."

Livni and Rammell agreed on a series of public steps to express opposition to the boycott initiative, including promoting a conference on Israeli-British education and arranging a visit to Israel for the heads of Britain's major higher education institutions. They also agreed to thoroughly examine the possibility of relaunching the Israel-Britain scientific research fund, whose activities were suspended in 2005. Ways of advancing initiatives for scientific cooperation within European Union frameworks will also be examined.

Tamir and Rammell agreed to start an orderly dialogue between leaders of academic institutions in both countries.

Tamir told the visiting minister that the boycott resolution passed by Britain's University and College Union undermines academic understanding and contradicts all that is sacred to academic thought.

"Israel is opposed to any act that makes use of the boycott tool for the purpose of expressing political opinions and creating a reality that contradicts dialogue and cooperation," she said.

Responding to reporters' questions, Rammell called for the release of Palestinian Education Minister Nasser Shaer, who is being held by Israel. He also criticized Israel's refusal to allow most students from the Gaza Strip to study in either Israel or the West Bank.

Rammell is scheduled to meet today with faculty at the Palestinian Al-Quds University, a British embassy spokeswoman said.