by Um Kahlil - Oct 1, 2007God forbid that Israel is not safe for London stockbrokers and a whole panoply of Jewish supremacist immigrants who have the run of the Guardian to peddle their toxic Zionist ideology so let's take out a few more refugees' houses [picture from the latest Israeli "incursion" into a refugee camp] and traumatize their children.
Most recently in Ain Beit Alma Refugee Camp "[Samia Abu Salah's] home was invaded by the military: "We heard noises from below our bedroom. It was the Jews underneath," she recounted, referring to the Israeli soldiers. 'We all moved away, into the stairwell. Then we saw them coming out of the floor, from below,' Abu Salah said. The soldiers had blown up the apartment below, knocking a hole in the ceiling and were climbing upwards."
And God forbid that Palestinian academics speak about their ongoing sixty year plus tragedy to their counterparts in Britain. In a letter to Sally Hunt, General-Secretary of Britain's University and College Union, Dr. Amjad Barham, the President of Federation of Union of Palestinian Universities' Professors & Employees writes:
"We have received with dismay, although not entirely with surprise, your letter of September 28, 2007 to members of the delegation of Palestinian academic trade union members informing them of the decision by the University and College Union's leadership to cancel their speaking tour to the UK to discuss the academic boycott of Israel with their colleagues at universities there. We wish to state clearly that we believe that our British colleagues have been deprived of an opportunity to better inform themselves about an issue which is of concern to conscientious academics and intellectuals the world over. Moreover, we are disappointed to see that the leadership of a prominent organization of academics such as yours has not defended the right of its members to engage in debate on this matter. Open debate and discussion are the foundations of academic freedom, and thus we cannot understand why the door to open consideration of controversial ideas has been so abruptly closed."
God forbid that anyone apprise British academics of the Israeli propensity for shooting school age children whilst in the sanctity of their own classrooms or houses. This past year was relatively calm by Israeli standards; only forty-three Palestinian kids won't get an opportunity to pursue higher education because they were killed by Israel's occupying army, the army of choice for privileged British immigrants to Israel. God forbid Madame Secretary-General Hunt that the following occur in a British classroom:
"Today [2004] a girl named Ghadeer Mukhemar, 10 years old, was shot in the chest while she was sitting at her desk in an elementary school in Al-Gharbi camp in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. In Nasser hospital, doctors said the girl was hit with heavy ammunition and is in critical condition. (The girl, Ghadeer Mokheimer, died Wednesday October 13, 2004 of her injuries)
Teachers at the school said that the Israeli occupation forces deployed in the Neve Dekalim settlement fired toward the area without any reason. The other students were extremely frightened by the incident. They left their classes out of fear of being shot as well."
But God forbid that it seep into the consciousness of British academics who must be protected from hearing what their Palestinian counterparts have to say that Israel has murdered 895 kids since September 28, 2000, exactly seven years to the date of the Secretary-General's letter to the Palestinian academics.
God forbid that Britain's academics learn that Israel's immigrants continue to brutalize and traumatize Palestinian school kids:
"'The effects of these military operations at such close quarters have an incalculable impact on the well-being of the young,' said Christopher Gunness from UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
'The children are not studying now, they are frightened. They go to school and draw, colour and read stories,' said Samia Abu Salah, whose children attend UNRWA schools and are taking part in a programme which tries to help the children express their feelings. "
And God forbid that academics fully embrace a simple and just rights based solution for Palestine's violated people:
The three elements of a rights-based solution to the conflict were set out in the July 2005 call by nearly 200 Palestinian civil society organizations for a campaign of boycott, divestment & sanctions (BDS) until Israel complies with international law and:
► Ends the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantles the Wall;
► Recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality and;
► Respects, protects and promotes the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, lands and properties.
Dr. Barham concludes his letter:
"The best form of solidarity with Palestinians, whether they are academics or ordinary people, is direct action aimed at bringing an end to the occupation and the regime of apartheid in Palestine. Isolating Israel in the international arena through various forms of boycott and sanctions and forcing it to obey international law and respect Palestinian rights is one of the strategies open to international civil society, including members of the academy. We are confident that our British colleagues will begin to realize that true solidarity with Palestinian academics requires a political commitment to bringing about an end to oppression and injustice"
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