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

From the www.monabaker.com archive (legacy material)

Gaza University Teachers’ Association | PACBI | 12 July 2006

The latest round of Israeli war crimes in Gaza has resulted in the brutal killings of the entire Abu Salmyieh family in Sheikh Redwan, Gaza City as they slept in their own house. This brings today’s toll alone to 23 Palestinian martyers. Since Thursday 6.July.2006, the Israeli Occupation Forces have killed more than 70 Palestinians, most of whom are civilians and children.
The University Teachers’ Association condemns in the strongest possible terms these heinous crimes and calls upon all civil society organization and freedom loving people to act immediately in any possible way to put pressure on their governments to end diplomatic ties with Apartheid Israel and institute sanctions against it for its 39 years of military occupation of Palestine.
As UN, EU and the international community by in large for generations has failed the Palestinian people, we address the civil society organizations to take whatever step 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, were able to pressurize their governments to isolate apartheid South Africa.
We, therefore, call upon NGOs and civil society organizations to adopt the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel -PACBI- www.pacbi.org <http://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 Apathied Israel, welcome this courageous decision. We call on all other freedom loving people to join hand 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 release all Palestinian political prisoners – including hundreds of women and children;
* that the United Nations implements the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Israel’s Apartheid wall;
* that the United Nations 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