Philosophers have launched a rallying cry in support of an academic boycott of Israel, saying thinkers must ditch abstractions and make their voices heard.

A group of 20 philosophers and political theorists from universities in Britain, France, United States and Lebanon have signed a statement calling on their colleagues to express steadfast support for “an immediate boycott of Israel — economic, cultural and academic” in response to the bombardment of Gaza.

Signatories to the statement include Dr Simon Hewitt of Birkbeck College, London, Dr Lorna Finlayson of King’s College, Cambridge, Katharine Jenkins of the University of Sheffield and Dr Arianne Shahvisi of the American University of Beirut. It was published at backtheboycott.com.

They write: “Characteristically, perhaps, philosophers have been slow to speak out against the latest attack on Gaza’s civilian population — and when they have spoken, their role has too often been to generate more confusion, more apologetics for Israel’s violence, or an unhelpful distraction from the reality of the events unfolding (although we sense that this is beginning to change).”

“We believe that any contribution on this issue must resist the abstraction characteristic of so much philosophy and take the form of clear and concrete interventions.”

The academics cite the failure of Israeli institutions and academics to voice their discontent with government policy, and strike back at the criticism that a boycott undermines academic freedom.

Last week, former boycott opponent Professor Martin Shaw said the changing situation in the Middle East called for academics to rethink their attitudes and support a strategy of disengagement.