To see the statement signed by the Israeli academics we have called upon, and the list of signatories, see this link
Introduction
An open letter was sent on July 13, 2014 to Israel’s academics, who, on the whole, remained silent in the face of the deterioration over the last few weeks, and the slaughter of the innocents in Gaza by the IDF. We have received over 1350 signatures from all over the world over the last few days, and already published below over 1100 – we avoided publishing any name without affiliation, title or location.
We hope that this call may help to bring about a change in Israel’s public debate about this illegal and immoral use of the army in Gaza, constituting war crimes, according to the UN. The list of signatories speaks for itself, we feel. This is clear evidence of the raw nerve struck by the action, and the widespread anger and frustration amongst academics and intellectuals everywhere about the Israeli continued slaughter, apparently immune to legal challenges and to pressure from all quarters. Let us hope that this list is only a beginning of larger actions against the brutalities of the illegal occupation.
Since the operation began, more than 815 Palestinians have been killed (as of July 23nd, AM) and over 5,000 have been wounded, and 19,000 homes have been destroyed, according to international media. Gaza hospitals are reporting , widespread destruction of wards, a dire shortage of medicine and equipment, particularly for trauma injuries. Israel has instructed the Wafa and other Hospitals’ staff to evacuate it with the patients (most of which cannot be moved) as they plan to destroy it… Tens of thousands of northern Gaza residents fled their homes on Sunday after Israel issued warnings of forthcoming air strikes. Numerous homes have been destroyed, as well as the very fragile infrastructure, severely damaged in 2008/9 and 2012, and hardly repaired since then.
To read a moving and devastating letter from a western witness to the destruction, see the letter written on July 19th, 2014, by Prof. Dr. Mads Gilbert, a norwegian physician and academic who is in Gaza, volunteering and trating patients under the fire and bombs. to read the letter, use this link
We now have also signatures from academics working in Israeli universities. These are courageous people, who now face serious danger from attacks by right-wing extremists, as happened on the 13th of July (see: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.604697) and those signing this take additional risks. They need your protection!
That so few academics in Israel have reacted by signing is an indication of the political situation in Israel – some 95% of the Jewish population support the attack on Gaza. Of course, these figures do not include the 22% of Israeli citizens who are Palestinian – they are not even asked to participate in such polls – and it does not matter what they think. The Jewish Israeli society is inundated by racist and even genocidal sentiments. This is why this initiative is very important.
An new advert calling upon the international community to force Israel to stop it bombing campaign has just been published in Haaretz newspaper in Israel, July 17th, 2014. To read it in Hebrew (English will follow) use this link.
to read about this initiative, go to the blog of Prof. David Palumbo-Liu in Huffington Post
A call by ALL Turkish University Rectors was issued on July 23, 2014. This call is unprecedented! Please read
To read articles on the continuing carnage in gaza, please use this link
To sign:
The Intenational list is now closed, with more than 1550 signatures. We thank you all for supporting this letter and action.
If you are an Israeli academic working in Israel and agree with us on the urgent need to bring an immediate end to those atrocities, and to act to end the illegal occupation in Palestine, please sign the statement at the bottom of this letter by sending Prof. Rachel Giora (rachel.giora@gmail.com) a mail with your name, title and affiliation.
