Bogus boycott

German academics are boycotting their British counterparts in protest at the British government's policy on Iraq, a letter published in last week's Jewish Chronicle claims. On investigation, however, it proved to be just a parody of the Mona Baker case.

Raphael Langham, a PhD student in the department of Hebrew and Jewish studies at University College London, has said that the boycott was a figment of his imagination designed "to demonstrate the logicality and naivety, as well as probably prejudice and vindictiveness, of the British academics who are boycotting Israeli academics".