The AAUP, the Higher Education Union in the United States, is organising a gathering in Italy in two weeks time to discuss - and perhaps change - its statement on boycotts. It has invited nine advocates of a comprehensive academic and cultural boycott of Israel to its villa near Milan, for a lengthy discussion of boycotting Israel, and says that these nine are 'specially selected experts'. However, the AAUP will not be hearing from any Palestinian opponents of the boycott, anyone who opposed the boycott from the AUT, or anyone from the Israeli Faculty Associations. This conference is a big mistake and should be postponed until a more representative gathering can be organised...