As the “Daily Mail” said, “Stephen Hawking is someone we admire.” Almost fully paralyzed and able to communicate only through a speech-generating device, his brilliant mind has illuminated the universe’s mysteries for all of mankind.

So how could someone so smart, be so stupid?

Hawking was supposed to attend Israel’s prestigious Presidential Conference in June. Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev and even Barbra Streisand are set to attend.

Hawking removed himself from this illustrious group, saying he was withdrawing due to ill health. He then admitted it was because of the so-called occupation of Palestine and his respect for the boycott of the supposed apartheid state.

The news was greeted with the usual disappointment by Israel – sadly, Hawking is not the first to do so. This liberal cause célèbre is the darling of much of the cultural elite and academia. In just the category of singers, those who have canceled Israeli commitments include Elvis Costello, Vanessa Paradis and Jon Bon Jovi.

But as the “Daily Mail” said, this boycott is in fact an “ongoing attempt to demonize, delegitimize and ultimately destroy the Jewish state.”

That Hawking should lend his famous name – which stands for enlightening humanity with scientific truth – to this is particularly shameful.

For entertainers to boycott Israel is one thing – with their often superficial grasp of current events, they rush to lend their names to trendy causes. But for a universally revered genius like Hawking to perpetuate this injustice, and not bother to investigate the issue’s nuances, aligning himself with a movement that is largely based on untruth, is appalling.

Never mind that the speech device which enables him to communicate with the world runs on a chip designed by Israel.

In the aftermath of his actions, many have wondered if he will also be boycotting that product.