Presidents of Israeli universities released a joint letter Friday criticizing the government�s decision to withhold the country�s most prestigious prize from a scholar over his political views, saying it �severely harms free speech and free thought.�

Israel�s top court on Thursday upheld the education minister�s move to temporarily block Oded Goldreich from receiving this year�s Israel Prize in mathematics and computer science over claims he supports the Palestinian-led international boycott movement, allegations he denies.

�Denying a person a prize due to their political beliefs contradicts the basic principle of the Israel Prize and severely harms free speech and free thought,� the letter said. �Your decision creates the difficult impression that only those who �toe the line� will be rewarded, and anyone who dares express a political opinion outside of the consensus will be punished.�

The letter said the presidents do not endorse Goldreich�s political views but that he should be able to express them �without fear.�

The letter was addressed to Education Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu�s hawkish Likud party, who defended his decision to refuse to sign off on the prize � something that is usually a formality.

Gallant tweeted Friday that Goldreich�s alleged support for the boycott movement �spits in the face of the state of Israel� and may violate laws against such activity. He said authorities needed time to determine whether Goldreich�s rejection of the boycott movement is �sincere.�

Last month, Goldreich and hundreds of other academics signed a petition calling on the European Union to halt funding for Ariel University, which was established inside a settlement of the same name in the Shomron. T

Goldreich, a professor of computer science at Israel�s Weizmann Institute, has said he does not support the boycott movement against Israel but objects to its policy of building settlements on “occupied lands.”

In Thursday�s ruling, the court gave Gallant 30 days to reach a decision about awarding the prize to Goldreich, in effect blocking him from receiving the recognition at next week�s ceremony. The court said he could be awarded the prize at a later date.

(AP)