So British university and college lecturers voted in favour of the boycott. The discussion of boycotting Israel has finally ceased to be a characteristic of what Israel supporters call "radical leftist" and is finally taking it rightful place in the mainstream.
While the boycott discussions were going on, a committee inquiry in Israel revealed that planned entry requirement into the medical sciences faculties in Israeli universities can only serve to deter Arab Israeli students from studying in these faculties. The new regulations would prohibit anyone from entering the faculty of medicine if he or she is under 20 years old unless s/he is chosing to study along side his or her army service. Arab students who don't serve in the Army enter university at the age of 18, while Jewish students only start their studies after serving for at least 2 years in the army, by which time they would have met the age requirement.
On the other hand, Israelis are proving that the boycott can lead to positive results as 4 Israeli universities called on the Israeli Defence Minister to re-examine the ban on Gazan students to study in West Bank Universities. The Israeli Army which cites security concerns over everything, claims it would be a security threat to allow students to pass from one part of their country to the other. Anyone who has passed through Erez crossing which separates Gaza from Israel would know that this is at best a ridiculous claim.
Anyway, with the boycott in sight these universities tried to make a gesture against one of the many policies through which Israel oppresses the Palestinians. Although this is a proof that the boycott can work eventually, it is a very small step in the 10000000000 mile journey to rid Israel of its Fascist nature.
While the boycott discussions were going on, a committee inquiry in Israel revealed that planned entry requirement into the medical sciences faculties in Israeli universities can only serve to deter Arab Israeli students from studying in these faculties. The new regulations would prohibit anyone from entering the faculty of medicine if he or she is under 20 years old unless s/he is chosing to study along side his or her army service. Arab students who don't serve in the Army enter university at the age of 18, while Jewish students only start their studies after serving for at least 2 years in the army, by which time they would have met the age requirement.
On the other hand, Israelis are proving that the boycott can lead to positive results as 4 Israeli universities called on the Israeli Defence Minister to re-examine the ban on Gazan students to study in West Bank Universities. The Israeli Army which cites security concerns over everything, claims it would be a security threat to allow students to pass from one part of their country to the other. Anyone who has passed through Erez crossing which separates Gaza from Israel would know that this is at best a ridiculous claim.
Anyway, with the boycott in sight these universities tried to make a gesture against one of the many policies through which Israel oppresses the Palestinians. Although this is a proof that the boycott can work eventually, it is a very small step in the 10000000000 mile journey to rid Israel of its Fascist nature.
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4 comments:
This is great!!!! Not only in the fact that the lecturers have voted but also in the appeal of the four universities...at last there is actual proof the boycott will lead to internal changes and pressure which I think is the only solution.
By the way, the International Design Forum took place in Dubai a couple of days ago and in one of the sessions one of the world most prominent designers "Karim Rashid" who is originally from Egypt had referred to a project he was working on with an Israeli peer. When he was asked HOW DO YOU CONNECT PRACTICALITY WITH CULTURE? He was explaining that the project aimed at enhancing the Israeli cultural DISH WHICH IS FALAFIL AND PITTA BREAD.
It was outrageous…not only was it normal for him to mention that he was working with an Israeli in a country that claims that it has no diplomatic relations with Israel but he referred to an Arabic dish as part of the Israeli culture. When confronted by one of the people attending he just gave her a lecture about where homos chick peas come from and brushed her off by telling her go do your research! Anyway maybe such an amazing designer whom from what I understood has been a revolutionary in the design sector should be addressed…who knows what could happen?
Yesterday I was posting in one of my two blogs when 'oranges and olives' had just being updated. I kept the reference and I'm checking it now.
I'm in a quagmire. I was born Christian and always wanted to convert to Judaism. On the other hand Jews rejected me more than once, sometimes with rudeness. I love Middle East and I can't see boundaries in Palestine, just hydrographic basins and geomorphology as a reference.
I'm not Arab or Jew, and my ancestors came from Iberia and Italy peninsulas.
I hope we can exchange information.
http://curiousclaudia.blogspot.com
Peb
As a Uk citizen albeit outside of the educational system, I believe that the idea of an academic boycot is important in principle and effect.
Not only will Isreal's policies of educational apartheid be exposed and bought under pressure but it may also serve as a front line opposition to Israel's policies full stop in the same way that a sporting boycott had a real and symbolic role in opposing apartheid in South Africa.
As an individual I would go further and propose an embargo on all Israeli products. In tandem with this a move to idenntify origins of such products as coming from the occupied teroritries or from Isreal proper.
Israeli Arabs can, and often do, volunteer for Army service. If they don't, they can just wait two years before starting the medicine program.
As ususal, you are grasping for straws in your attempt to deny that Israeli Arabs are the most free and most prosperous Arabs in the Middle East.
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