From EuroMed Monitor, published January 20: “The targeted academics studied and taught across a variety of academic disciplines, and many of their ideas served as cornerstones of academic research in the Gaza Strip’s universities. The rights group added that given the systematic and widespread destruction by Israeli forces of cultural buildings, including institutions of great historical significance, it is highly likely that Israel is intentionally targeting every aspect of life in Gaza. Israel systematically destroyed every university in the Gaza Strip in stages over the course of the more than 100-day attack. […] The rights group pointed out that destroying universities and killing academics and students will make it more difficult to resume university and academic life when the genocide ends, saying it may take years for studies to be resumed in an environment that has been completely destroyed.”
Universities are sites of learning, teaching, and cultural and historical memory. Israel targeted universities in Gaza within 100 days after October 7, 2024. Targeting universities is a deliberate action to erase records of Palestine, Palestinians, and Palestinian culture.
President Biden continues to supply and fund Israel while knowing since October 2023 that Israel has been targeting civilians. This is continued participation in this genocide and a violation of Leahy law, which prohibits our government from funding foreign forces who are implicated in gross human rights violations. Global human rights organizations have repeatedly characterized Israel’s gross human rights violations and war crimes as genocidal acts, including targeting hospitals and healthcare workers, targeting journalists and civilians, using starvation as a weapon, etc. The U.S. stands alone in vetoing Palestine’s request for U.N. membership. As people of conscience, we will not ignore this.
I am demanding you to take immediate steps to stop Israel’s genocide of Palestinians by calling for 1) a total and permanent ceasefire, 2) humanitarian aid allowed to enter Gaza, 3) an end to Israel's siege on Gaza, 4) the release of all Palestinian and Israeli hostages, 5) no more weapons or funding to the Israeli military, 6) the reinstatement of UNRWA funding. A permanent ceasefire is an absolutely critical step to ensuring everlasting liberation and peace.
The ICJ ruled that Israel should do everything in its power to prevent genocide. Never again means never again for anyone. Palestinians deserve to live with freedom and safety which means first stopping this genocide and then ensuring liberation from occupation and apartheid. The liberation and safety of Palestinians, Israelis, Jewish people, and Muslim people are intertwined. There can only be true safety when we are all free from oppression.
First sent on April 23 by Alice
