PACBI Statement

Press Release--Gaza University Teachers’ Association calls for academic and cultural boycott of Israel

July 13, 2006
As the UN, the EU and the international community by and large have failed the Palestinian people for decades, we address civil society organizations to take whatever steps, however small, to show their support for Palestine and rejection of Israeli genocidal war crimes. The experience of South Africa shows that the collective action of ordinary people who did not buy South African products, did not watch South African sports and did not have any relationship with South African academic and cultural institutions, was able to pressurize governments to isolate apartheid South Africa.

As the UN, the EU and the international community by and large have failed the Palestinian people for decades, we address civil society organizations to take whatever steps, however small, to show their support for Palestine and rejection of Israeli genocidal war crimes. The experience of South Africa shows that the collective action of ordinary people who did not buy South African products, did not watch South African sports and did not have any relationship with South African academic and cultural institutions, was able to pressurize governments to isolate apartheid South Africa. We, therefore, call upon NGOs and civil society organizations to adopt the Call for Boycott issued by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel ( PACBI--www.pacbi.org).

We academics of Gaza universities, noting the call by the Congress of South African Trade Union and other South African civil society organizations for their government to boycott Apartheid Israel, welcome this courageous decision. We call on all other freedom loving people to join hands with the South African people in their show of solidarity with the brutally oppressed Palestinian people. We therefore demand:

-that Israel immediately withdraws all Israeli Occupation Forces from Gaza and ends the occupation of Palestinian land;
-that Israel abides by international humanitarian and human rights law, and refrains from imposing collective punishment on Palestinian civilians (as per the UN Human Rights Council declaration issued on 6 July 2006);
-that Israel releases all detained Palestinian ministers and legislators and releases all Palestinian political prisoners, including hundreds of women and children;
-that the UN implements the July 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice against Israel’s Apartheid Wall;
-that the UN ensures that Israel fulfils its obligations in terms of international law;
-international protection of Palestinina civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

For Comments, contact:

Dr. Mona Al Farra 0997082846602 or 09 972 599 410 741.
Dr. Abu Ala'a, Gaza Strip, + 972 599 441766
Dr. Asaad Abu Sharekh, Gaza Strip, + 972 599 322636
Dr. Ayoub Othman, + 972 599 412 826

July 13, 2006
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