As such, the Foreign Secretary’s signing of this agreement stands in stark contrast to the small but strident boycott campaign that seeks to break down channels of cooperation and dialogue with Israel. Most recently, the campaign has pressured Professor Stephen Hawking into cancelling a trip to Jerusalem to participate in President Shimon Peres’s conference on “Facing Tomorrow”. Held annually since 2008, this brings together leaders, thinkers, innovators and academics of all faiths and nationalities to address pressing international challenges. It is a unique forum for discussion and debate which should, one would hope, appeal to anyone committed to progress and genuine scientific inquiry.