In a groundbreaking move, Sonoma State University in California has suspended its president, Mike Lee, after he agreed to student demands for an academic boycott of Israel. Lee's decision to support the boycott, which was announced on Tuesday, made Sonoma State the first university in the United States to refuse to collaborate with Israeli academic institutions.

Lee stated in a message to the students that "None of us should be on the sidelines when human beings are subject to mass killing and destruction." However, this decision faced quick opposition from pro-Israel groups and the wider California State University system, prompting Lee to later apologize for agreeing to the boycott. He expressed concerns that the move marginalized other students and caused harm.

This dispute comes as pro-Palestinian students across the country are demanding universities cut financial and academic ties with Israel due to the escalating death toll in Gaza, with the majority of those killed being women and children. Lee clarified that Sonoma State does not currently have any exchange programs or collaborations with Israeli universities and that there are no plans to establish any. He also mentioned that the university would only engage with Israeli academics "acting in a personal capacity."

The university's decision drew immediate criticism from pro-Israel groups, accusing the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) of glorifying Hamas and discriminating against Jewish students. The Anti-Defamation League denounced the agreement, stating that "Lee capitulated to protesters and agreed to a dangerous set of demands." State senator Scott Wiener accused Sonoma State of aligning with the BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) campaign, which he described as aiming for the destruction of Israel.

Sonoma State is part of the larger California State University system, and the Chancellor of the system, Mildred Garcia, stated that Lee had not sought authorization for the agreement with the student protesters. As a result, Lee has been placed on administrative leave due to "insubordination and the consequences it has brought upon the system," according to Garcia.

Lee issued a second statement, acknowledging that his attempt to find agreement with one student group had marginalized others. The demand to cut academic ties with Israel is rooted in the broader BDS campaign, which urges the international community to boycott Israeli universities. The movement gained traction after Palestinian intellectuals in Ramallah called for the boycott two decades ago.

While several academic and student groups have expressed support for the academic boycott, no university had agreed to sever ties with Israeli institutions until Sonoma State's recent announcement. Supporters argue that the campaign is a response to the suppression and destruction of Palestinian universities by the Israeli military and government. Some opponents, however, consider the boycott as a singling out of Israel and claim that it aims to delegitimize the Jewish state.

There has been criticism of deals struck between university administrators and pro-Palestinian students at other universities as well. Similar agreements have been made at Columbia University, the University of California at Los Angeles, and Northwestern University, raising concerns about yielding to the demands of a mob. Brown University also agreed to vote on divestment from companies affiliated with Israel in response to student protests. Harvard University, however, ended an encampment after agreeing to discuss divestment demands, although the university's investments remain undisclosed.

Amidst this contentious debate between supporters and opponents of the academic boycott of Israel, Sonoma State University's decision has sparked a significant discussion about the role of universities and their relationships with different academic institutions worldwide.