The Pears Family Charitable Foundation
The Pears Foundation is the charity of the Pears family, principally brothers Mark Pears, David Pears and Trevor Pears, who runs the foundation. The family control the William Pears Group, one of Britain's biggest property companies.[1]
BIRAX
Together with the British Council in Israel the Pears Foundation established the Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (BIRAX) in 2008, which it describes as 'a major initiative launched by the Prime Ministers of both countries'.[2]. According to Professor David Newman of Ben Gurion University, who was involved in planning the program, it 'has a great deal to do with the boycott' movement against Israel:
- 'Because of the ongoing discussion of boycotts the British government decided that the most appropriate response was to strengthen research ties'.[3]
UK-Israel Life Sciences Council
In 2010, the Pears Foundation, along with the Zabludowicz Trust and other bodies, supported the creation of the UK-Israel Life Sciences Council, described as an 'ambitious expansion of the BIRAX scheme'. British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould noted: 'The British Government is opposed to boycotts of Israel, and this Council is an expression of that'. Trevor Pears reportedly attended the launch meeting.[4]
Notes
- ↑ James Quinn, Pears family comes out of the property shadows, Daily Telegraph, 12 June 2011
- ↑ Israel as a Global Citizen, Pears Foundation, accessed 13 April 2015
- ↑ Waldoks, E.Z. (2008), Olmert Brown launch new academic exchange program, The Jerusalem Post, 21-July-2008
- ↑ Ben Gurion University New UK-Israel Council to Forge Strong Ties in Life Sciences 26 January 2011.
