12.8.07

Collective Punishment

To say that a state practices collective against a group of its inhabitants, is one thing, but to have these practices endorsed by the Hight Court is another. A petition by a group of Gazan students to allow them to return to their university studies in the West Bank was rejected by Israel's High Court (of Justice?). Israel has continuously sought to undermine the educational system of the oPt and mainly the higher education institutions. Long lists exist of the various "shut-downs", attacks and restrictions on access to academic resources. However, to top its crimes, Israel has been, since the mid-90's, implementing a campaign aiming at the disruption of the studies of Gazan students through arrests, deportation, and impeding their access to education inside their country.
In this ruling the judge claimed "the bottom line is that situation between Israel and Gaza has deteriorated to an all time low, and issuing a court order that sets aside would not fit in with the present dire reality."
To me, the bottom line is that Israel continues to be racist, and unjust. The mere fact that it goes up in arms against the world when the academic boycot is mentioned claiming its right to academic freedom, while restricting this freedom for Palestinians is a clear indicator of the moral low Israel's government, army and academia have reached (actually they reached it long ago). The fact that you find academics standing up to defend academic freedom when they are under fire, but raise no voice when their neighbours are continuously deprived this freedom shows what lows this academia has reach. Is there a better justification for the boycot? not just academic but at all levels.

2 comments:

Osaid Rasheed said...

great site PAL

Ned said...

Thanks Osaid!