August 17, 2007

McMaster Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights Calls Out for Support of Boycotting Israel

(Originally published by SPHR Friday, 20 July 2007)

McMaster Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights is compelled to respond to the recent statement by McMaster University President, Peter George, regarding the position of the British University and College Union on a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.

We believe the UCU's decision is just and defensible. Moreover, we hope that it will lead the UCU to adopt, after vigorous and open debate, an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. We see such a boycott as, in fact, an affirmation of academic freedoms.
Palestinian academics and students are denied the right to education, academic freedom, freedom of inquiry and freedom of research specialization and association, due to the illegal Israeli occupation, in the following ways: - Checkpoints and arbitrary sieges that shut down schools and universities on a daily basis, disrupting academic life and preventing Palestinians from accessing education.

- Checkpoints and arbitrary sieges that shut down schools and universities on a daily basis, disrupting academic life and preventing Palestinians from accessing education.

-Travel restrictions that make it almost impossible for Palestinian Academics and students to participate in both local and international academic activities.

-The imposition of arbitrary and habitual curfews curtailing the ability of Palestinians to exercise their freedom of academic association and research specialization.

-The targeted and indiscriminate shootings and arrests of professors, researchers, teachers and students.

Israeli academic institutions have exacerbated the illegal occupation, through their direct contribution, their justification of the occupation, and their silence. They have been wholly complicit in maintaining this system of oppression, in contravention of International Law.

A host of international conventions, declarations and laws affirm the responsibility of all governments and institutions to defend the universal right to education and academic freedoms. Due to the Israeli academy's role in violating these rights of Palestinians, we believe McMaster University is obligated to join the boycott.

The boycott requests the suspension of institutional links and calls for Israeli academics to speak up against the breaches of humanitarian law and basic human rights committed in their name. It does not bar Israeli academics from speaking or publishing, rather it affirms that institutions cannot profit from the denial of the rights of their Palestinian counterparts.

We have joined colleagues around the world in responding to the callout by Palestinian civil society for a complete boycott of the Israeli state. We call on academics of conscience to join in the boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions and take a stand in defense of human rights and the rule of law.

For the full text of UCU Motion 30: http://www.ucu.org.uk/circ/html/ucu31.html
For the full text of the call out of Palestinian civil society: http://www.pacbi.org/campaign_statement.htm

For Information:
Manal Khader: 905-921-7254
Jamilé Ghaddar: 905-921-3570
sphr.mcmaster@gmail.com

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