Greetings from the Right to Education Campaign (R2E)
November - December 2008 - In light of the horrific attacks and the slaughter of over 500 people in Gaza by the Israeli army, 20% of whom are women and children, the Right to Education Campaign would like to express its indignant condemnation of Israel's actions and the international silence which has followed. The UN says that the American school in the north of Gaza was hit and completely destroyed, 5 other schools were damaged, the Islamic University was bombed and destroyed, as were two other colleges, there is no electricity, and running water works only every 5-7 days; it is clear that the living conditions of all students regardless of age or social status are horrendous and that the education system is severely damaged. The long-term effects of the ongoing siege and current spree of bombardment on the Gaza education system are profound. Please protest the destruction of not only the current but also the future lives of the people of Gaza.
WRITE to your political representatives asking them to put pressure on your government to denounce the Israeli attacks, call for an immediate end to the attacks and for an inquiry to be launched into the impact of the attacks on the Gazan education system.
You can also sign a petition in support of Gaza students http://www.petitiononline.com/gaza99/petition.html
You can donate blankets, blood and medicine through the Palestinian Red Crescent Society http://www.palestinercs.org/ReportS/PRCSPreliminaryEmergencyAppeal2009GazaStrip.pdf
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Stay up to date on all the latest facts and figures related to higher education under occupation via the R2E's latest fact sheet: http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article495
The R2E's submission to the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review of Israel, made in July 2008, was accepted and mentioned in the official UN report - see paragraphs 21 and 27. The report is available via: http://lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session3/IL/A_HRC_WG6_3_ISR_3_Israel_E.pdf
R2E Comments on position of European Union on Gaza Students
Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Louisa Morgantini, raised important questions to the Council of the European Union and at the European Commission about their roles in supporting the right to education of Palestinian students residing in Gaza who have scholarships to study in European universities. Read the R2E's comments on the EU's position on Gaza students here:
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article654
News from the Campaign at Birzeit University
On the 17th of December, the President of the Federal Republic of Austria, Dr. Heinz Fischer, accompanied by a delegation consisting of 100 ministers, government officials and academics, including the Minister of Education and the Minister of Defense, visited Birzeit University. Five students made a presentation on the Right to Education in Palestine. For further details see http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article659
To see a copy of the presentation done by the students, in addition to their personal stories, please go to:
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/downloads/pdfs/R2E Students' Presentation - Dec 08.pdf
Public speaking training at BZU: Aisha Mansour, an experienced public speaker from Toastmasters International (see www.toastmasters.org) has continued her work with the R2E Campaign by leading a series of workshops at Birzeit University in order to work with students on their public speaking skills in English.
Exchange with Palestinian students from 1948: On the 29th of November, about 20 Palestinian students from universities inside Israel visited Birzeit University for a day of exchange and discussion with Birzeit University students. The exchange was organised by Baladna Association for Arab Youth (www.baladnayouth.org) and the R2E Campaign, in order to strengthen links between Palestinian students on both sides of the Green Line. For details of the day's activities, please see: http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article658
In November a group of German photography students visited BZU with their Professors for Photography, Stefan Enders and Axel Stephan from the University of Applied Sciences in Mainz, Germany. The students met with Birzeit students, who spent a day showing them around the university campus and Birzeit village. This established the start of a number of planned links between the two universities.
At risk of Arrest or Deportation just for going to University
R2E Student Volunteer, Birzeit University, 18 December 2008
Due to the fact that the state of Israel has control over the borders and population register of the occupied Palestinian Territories, it also has de facto control over which students and teachers can access Birzeit University. After the Oslo accords a number of Palestinians who were in exile outside of the country travelled back to Palestine in order to settle back into their homes and start a life in their own future state. Upon their return, many were surprised to find that they were denied Palestinian IDs by Israel, and were therefore forced to either leave or stay in their own homes illegally. Read the story of a Birzeit University student who is at risk of arrest or deportation every single day as the chance of getting a Palestinian ID card was taken away from him as a child.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article657
PAS Student denied entry
Rashad Sisemore, PAS student, Birzeit University, 11 November 2008
Rashad Sisemore is a PAS student who was detained and interrogated at Ben Gurion Airport for 11 hours, from 11.00 am to 10.00 pm on November 10th, 2008, after which he was denied entry into the country. Rashad tried to enter the oPt again via Allenby Bridge from Jordan on Tuesday November 11th, 2008, only to be denied entry again. In his letter to the Palestinian and Arabic Studies (PAS) department he gives a detailed account of the whole ordeal. As Rashad has been denied entry by the Israeli authorities, he has been denied his right to continue his education at Birzeit University.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article639
My dorm was raided by the Israeli Army
Rawad Darweesh, Student, Birzeit University, 6 November 2008
Thirty percent of the students living in the student accomodation in Birzeit village have reported that their dorms have been raided by the Israeli army. Rawad Darweesh, a 21 year old student at the Faculty of Commerce and Trade, was subjected to having his dorm raided by the army in April 2008. Here he gives an account of the incident. http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article629
News from the Campaign at An-Najah National University
The student human rights field workers are now planning a documentary about the checkpoints surrounding Nablus and the problems that they cause students. The project is in the pre-production phase and interest is being shown by Al-Jazeera Arabic who are proposing to offer their full support to the project.
The creative writing project is underway on the theme of the Right to Education led by UK volunteer Shagufta Iqbal and Dr Saed Abu Hijleh, with the aim of students producing creative works for the next An-Najah R2E newsletter and for wider publication. The series of creative writing workshops will be followed by a performance of the participants' works at the Al Yasmine hotel, downtown Nablus in January 2009.
Student volunteers in partnership with An-Najah computer centre are developing the human rights violations database for the checkpoint clinic project. The data base is constructed and awaiting the legal categories for the data retrieval system and will be operational for case violations in January 2009.
News from the Campaign at Bethlehem University
Students complete Toastmasters Public Speaking course: In November, several Bethlehem University students were awarded certificates to mark their completion of 12 sessions of a public-speaking training course. The students, who are members of both the Bethlehem University Student Ambassadors Program and Student Media Team, finished the series with debates about topics relevant to life in Palestine, including a debate about non-violent political resistance.
Journalists for Human Rights Group holds first event: The Middle East's first university chapter of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) officially began work on campus this month. The group, an offshoot of a Canadian organization, will work to draw attention to human rights issues through events on campus and the media. They held their first successful campus event in November with the screening of Blood Diamond, a movie that highlights several human rights issues in West Africa. Read more about them here:
http://www.jhr.ca/en/uni_hp.php
or here:
http://www.bethlehem.edu/archives/2008/2008_082.shtml
Living in East Jerusalem: Twenty-five per cent of Bethlehem University students travel daily to university from Jerusalem. These students are subject to harassment and delays at checkpoints but many West Bank peers think aside from these violations they have it easy. Razan Wazwaz, a Bethlehem University student, writes that no matter what side of the wall, life is not easy for any Palestinians. Read her story here:
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article652
A Trip to the Unknown
Ronza Al Madbouh, Student, Bethlehem University, 5 November 2008
There are more than 528 permanent and temporary checkpoints and roadblocks controlled by the Israeli military throughout the West Bank. At these checkpoints, students are often subjected to delays, harassment and humiliation. Ronza, a student at Bethlehem University remembers a university trip she went on to Jenin, during which the group was subjected to long delays and humiliation by the soldiers at three different checkpoints.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article628
Activism News
R2E Week, UK: Action Palestine, a nationwide group of student activists based in the UK and an affiliate of the R2E Campaign, organized a R2E Week on UK campuses, which took place from the 17th to the 26th of November. As a part of the activities of this week, they received a delegation of Palestinian student representatives to go on a speaking tour of UK university campuses. Two of the students were representatives of the R2E Campaign – Semma Quran from Birzeit University and Beesan Ramadan from An-Najah National University. The tour was a success, with an audience of up to 200 at some universities. Upon their return, the girls did their presentations at the Friends Meeting House in Ramallah. For more information on the speaking tour, please go to:
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article634
R2E Speaking Tour: In November the R2E went on a speaking tour in several major cities across Canada. The coordinator of the Campaign at Bethlehem University visited several universities in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, where a great amount of support was shown for the Campaign. For further details on the speaking tour, please go to:
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article649
UTM, Canada affiliates to R2E Campaign
In December, following the R2E speaking tour in Canadian universities by Bethlehem University Campaign Coordinator, the University of Toronto at Mississauga campus student union affiliated to the R2E campaign. Read the endorsement made by UTM Student Union here.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article656
In an effort to raise awareness of obstacles faced by Palestinian students in attaining their right to education and creating solidarity links between the 2 groups of students, the Arabic Club at Colorado State University has started corresponding with BZU students. 15 Colorado State University students sent postcards to BZU students, to introduce themselves, and now there is ongoing e-mail correspondence between the 2 groups. A similar programme has been set up with Edinburgh University, whose student association is twinned with BZU student council.
If you belong to a university, trade union or any other movement or organization, please join us and help build an international coalition of organizations to collectively campaign in support of Palestinian students, teachers and the right to education in Palestine.
This bulletin is divided into 3 sections: 'News and Updates', 'International Activism News' and 'How you Can Support the Right to Education Campaign'. It includes links to recent key articles on the Right to Education website http://right2edu.birzeit.edu and ideas for action. We want to hear from you so please get in touch and let us know about your activities. Email us at right2edu@birzeit.edu.
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1. News and Updates
Letter from the President, Islamic University of Gaza
Dr. Kamalain Shaath, President, The Islamic University, Gaza, 30 December 2008
On Sunday December 28th 2008 Israeli F-16 jets destroyed the Science and Engineering Buildings at the Islamic University of Gaza. Read the call from IUG's President for the international community to show their support and solidarity to the Islamic University.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article668
Israeli Warplanes bomb Islamic University in Gaza
Reuters, Reuters, 29 December 2008
Israeli warplanes bombed the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, a significant Hamas cultural symbol, in the latest of a series of aerial attacks in the coastal territory.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article662
Why would Israel bomb a University?
Dr. Akram Habeeb, Electronic Intifada, 29 December 2008
Dr. Akram Habeeb, Assistant Professor of American Literature at the Islamic University of Gaza reflects on why Israel would bomb a university.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article672
Hebron University Students injured as rally mourning Gaza dead clashes with Israeli forces
Hebron, Ma'an, 29 December 2008
The student council at the Hebron University organized a demonstration to condemn Israeli violence against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip Monday afternoon. The demonstration march became a clash with Israeli troops and nine students were injured.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article671
Israeli troops detain 2 university students
Website, Ma'an news, 16 December 2008
Israeli troops detained two university students from Tulkarem at checkpoints on Tuesday morning, while they were on their way to university.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article655
Israel deports American academic
Toni O'Loughlin in Jerusalem, The Guardian, UK, 15 December 2008
Israel has refused entry to the controversial Jewish American academic and UN envoy, Richard Falk. Falk flew into Tel Aviv on Sunday night and spent the night at Ben Gurion airport before he was deported the following morning.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article653
Trapped in Gaza with a Fulbright scholarship
Zohair Abu Shaban, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 29 November 2008
University students in the Gaza Strip who want to study abroad have been facing severe restrictions since Israel imposed a blockade on the territory two years ago. Israel took the measure after Hamas won elections in Gaza and took over control of the territory. Every year, one thousand or so Gazan students are accepted by foreign universities. But since the blockade was imposed, fewer than half of them have been able to go study abroad. One of them is Zohair Abu Shahan. This is his story.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article645
A harsh lesson from nature in Gaza
Mohammad Omar, The National, 22 November 2008
Wafa is one of nearly 450 pupils who attend the school in Al Mawasi, a district overlooking the Egyptian-Gaza border and close to Gaza's coast. Up until Israel pulled its settlements out of Gaza in 2005, the district had been cut off from the rest of the strip and the school - made up of metal cabins - was set up as a temporary alternative. Three years after Israel dismantled its settlements in the Gaza strip, the school is still being used as many teachers and pupils cannot afford to travel to other areas. The school is in severe need of renovation, and the funding is available, but due to the ongoing Israeli siege on Gaza it is impossible to get the necessary building materials into the strip.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article644
Academic freedom and Israel's siege of Gaza
Letter, The Independent UK, 18 November 2008
About two weeks ago, the World Health Organization co-sponsored a conference in Gaza, entitled "Seige and Mental Health". Unfortunately the conference did not take place in Gaza as all of the 100 academics and health professionals who were supposed to attend were denied permits to enter Gaza by the Israeli authorities. This is a letter from 30 (of around 100) of the 'internationals' denied access to Gaza by Israel, despite the WHO itself making the applications. The letter was published in the UK newspaper 'The Independent'.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article641
Closure of Gaza costs girl her dream to study medicine
Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem, The Independent UK, 13 November 2008
An outstanding Palestinian student has lost her best chance of realising a burning ambition to study medicine in Britain because she was trapped in Gaza until it was just a day too late to take a crucial written exam in Jordan.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article635
The Only Way Out
Eva Bartlett writing from Cyprus, Live from Palestine, Electronic Intifada, 12 November 2008
Over the past year, Muhannad Omar al-Helo has twice petitioned the Israeli government to leave Gaza in order to study in Europe for a master's degree. He has also contacted Israeli lawyers and human rights groups about his case. On 2 November aboard the SS Dignity, the third Free Gaza boat, he was finally able to leave Gaza and the 16-month Israeli siege, which has imprisoned the 1.5 million Palestinian residents of the tiny coast territory, and sail to Cyprus.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article631
Students' Detention extended
Ma'an, Ramallah, 12 November 2008
The Israeli military court at Ofer detention center in the West Bank extended the detention of 8 Palestinian students until 14 December on Wednesday, citing a need for 'further investigation'. During their detention, they are being denied their education.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article638
The School Run
Ron Taylor, Palestine Chronicle, 11 November 2008
A Palestinian farmer from the tiny hamlet of Maghaer al-Abeed in the South Hebron Hills is the father of young children who attend primary school in the nearby village of At-Tuwani. The journey to school is a dangerous one, as the children are always at risk of being exposed to violence from the settlers that live around the area - in defiance of international law. The last attack was on October 14th, 2008, when settlers threw rocks at the children and two adults from Ma'on settlement chased them. No settler has ever been charged with offences of violence against the children.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article632
Three students detained while supporting anti-closure events in Hebron
Hebron, Ma'an, 9 November 2008
Israeli forces detained three Al-Quds Open University students while they participated in a solidarity march in Hebron as part of a campaign to end the closure of Hebron's old city.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article630
12 year old student beaten and imprisoned with adults
Report, B'TSELEM, 3 November 2008
Muhammad Salah Muhammad Khawajah, a 12 year old student and resident of Ni'lin in Ramallah District, was beaten and then arrested from his home in September by the Israeli military forces. On the same night they arrested and beat up 'Abd a-Rahman Lu'ai, a 14 year old student, and his cousin, Sufian who is 18.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article625
Guess which university students won't be able to reach their classes today?
Release, GISHA, 2 November 2008
Today, as tens of thousands of Israeli university students report for the first day of the academic year - hundreds of students in Gaza are being prevented from reaching their university classes abroad due to an Israeli policy banning students from leaving Gaza.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article626
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2. International Activism News
Press Release on Gaza from Scottish Committee for the Universities of Palestine
Press Release, Scottish Committee for the Universities of Palestine, 4 January 2009
Press release from the Scottish Committee for the Universities of Palestine calling all members of Scottish civil society to support various actions against the ongoing Israeli massacre of Gazans in the Strip.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article669
Association of University Teachers in Gaza calls for Boycott
Ma'an News, Bethlehem, 4 January 2009
The Palestinian Association of University Teachers in Gaza calls upon all peace-loving, freedom-loving nations, NGOs, universities, intellectuals, cultural and academic institutions, trade unions and syndicates, as well as human rights organizations all over the world to impose boycotts, sanctions and divestments on the Apartheid Israeli state.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article666
US Academic group decries the targeting of schools in Gaza
Statement, California Scholars for Academic Freedom, Electronic Intifada, 4 January 2009
California Scholars for Academic Freedom, a group of 100 scholars at 20 California insitutions of higher learning have issued a statement condemning in the strongest possible terms the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that have targeted the Islamic University and other educational sites.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article663
British academics to break the siege of Gaza
Press Release, BRICUP, 8 December 2008
Two Jewish academics from the UK, Emeritus Professor Jonathan Rosenhead and Research Fellow Mike Cushman, both from the Department of Management at the London School of Economics, have joined the latest 'Free Gaza' boat in an attempt to enable Palestinian university students to pursue their studies abroad.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article650
Friends of Palestine Society calls for Boycott, Lancaster University, UK
Lisa Stallard, Scottish PSC, 7 December 2008
Lancaster University's Friends of Palestine Society has proposed a campus-wide boycott of Eden Springs mineral water over the company's trading activities in the Golan Heights, an area of Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, and illegally annexed in 1981.
http://right2edu.birzeit.edu/news/article651