An increasing number of American university professors have joined a U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel.

Earlier in January, a group of American university professors launched a national campaign calling for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel, as the regime began its deadly military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

As Operation Cast Lead dragged on — killing over 1,330 Palestinians and ended without any achievements on the Israeli side — the number of U.S. academics who had joined their colleagues exceeded 150.

Although in the past, similar campaigns have been organized in Europe, such a movement has been quite unprecedented in the United States.

One of the academics who has joined the campaign is English professor David Lloyd of the University of Southern California, USC’s student newspaper, The Daily Trojan reported on Friday.

Lloyd has been involved in several other divestment movements, including one to end apartheid in South Africa. In the current campaign, he seeks to convince American colleges to avoid ties with Israeli universities, until scholars over there speak out against their government’s policies.

“We are calling for the boycott because Israel has systematically denied the rights of Palestinians to get a full and proper access to education. It’s not just that they have bombed several educational institutions …,” said Lloyd.

“Up until this point, it has been virtually unspeakable in public to talk about boycotting Israel, and it produces a very hostile response. In the end, what we’re aiming at is a full boycott of Israel, both academic and economic … To circulate this idea as a possibility is of major importance. It’s part of a larger campaign to say Israel cannot be the exception. … All that we are asking is that the United States treat Israel the way it treats all other countries,” he added.

Lloyd said he and his colleagues had received hate mail as a result of their involvement in the campaign, criticism of Washington’s steadfast support for Israel, and condemnation of Tel Aviv’s failure to abide by international law.

The U.S. professor said although the academic boycott may not directly impact the conflict in the Middle East, it may help alter the American people’s view of the situation.