Israeli Scientists Face Exclusion Amid Regional Environmental Crises

Recent disruptions to Israel's desalination facilities, attributed to a bacteria from Gaza and algal blooms in the Nile Delta, have highlighted a critical lack of environmental coordination between Israel and its neighbors. Experts emphasize that environmental issues like pollution, extreme weather, and earthquakes transcend national borders, yet regional cooperation mechanisms remain inadequate. The academic and scientific boycott against Israel, exacerbated by recent conflicts, has further strained professional ties, even with countries with diplomatic relations.

Dr. Shavi Rotman of Tel Aviv University's Steinhardt Museum of Natural History noted that difficulties in scientific collaboration predate the recent war, with past researchers being more accessible. She explained that marine issues, in particular, should not be confined by borders, as neighboring countries face identical challenges. Rotman stated that while past cooperation with Lebanon and Syria was limited, relations with Turkey have cooled, and cooperation with Egypt has ceased. She also mentioned a Lebanese marine researcher who previously participated in joint publications but later withdrew his name when Israel was involved, citing Lebanese restrictions.

Rotman observed that some Jordanian researchers still cooperate, though this varies by individual. She believes the last three years have worsened communication and excluded Israeli researchers from regional efforts. Rotman herself was slated for a conference in Djibouti in November 2023, which was canceled after Djibouti sided with the Palestinian cause and barred Israeli citizens. She lamented that a recent regional study, despite Israel's significance in scientific research, omitted Israeli input, with the Greek researcher who published it explaining he had no choice but to exclude them.

Dr. Tzafrir Koflik, also from the Steinhardt Museum, reported failed attempts to collaborate with Egyptian researchers, despite formal peace. He noted that personal connections sometimes form at workshops, leading to cooperation with a Tunisian researcher without issue. Koflik also described instances at conferences where Arab participants vetoed Israeli presence, leading to their removal to allow the event to proceed, attributing this academic boycott partly to European influence.

Prof. Noa Shenkar from Tel Aviv University expressed her desire for broader cooperation, mentioning positive connections with scientists from Turkey and Cyprus, but recounted a distressing encounter with a Tunisian student who refused to speak with her. Coastal engineer Sergio Dov Rosen recalled past trilateral research projects with Egyptians in the early 1990s and other collaborations with Egyptian researchers, but had limited direct contact with Syrian and Lebanese scientists, though Lebanese representatives abstained rather than voted against his appointment to an international committee.