Statement (below) re events relating to a ship, Al Awda, of the Freedom Flotilla, attempting to break the siege of Gaza, carrying medical supplies etc. The ship was violently intercepted in international waters by Israeli warships. Hooded men took over the ship, beat up and tasered (to unconsciousness) the captain and second mate, assaulted other passengers, stole their phones and money (in most cases, not returned), and diverted the ship to an Israeli port and all on board to prison and later expulsion.
For the time being, the MLA has taken an extreme and ethically untenable position by endorsing the idea, promoted by a group of members who were openly "assisted" by outside groups, that it is illegitimate for professional groups to protest Israel's policies towards its Palestinian subjects. January 9, 2018
To Paula Krebs, Executive Director of the MLA, and to the Officers and other members of the MLA Executive Council
Ahed Tamimi appears at a military court. EPA/Abir Sultan By Emma Heywood The Conversation, 22 February 2018 Popular resistance against the Israeli presence in the West Bank, be it violent or peaceful, is a constant feature of life in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. With no money and little international support, Palestinian activists put their own lives at risk and sacrifice their well-being to fight the many aspects of control imposed by the Israeli state – checkpoints, permits, the wall, prisons – but mainly the lack of freedom, respect and dignity.
But that wasn’t the whole story Ayman Elkasrawy’s controversial prayers sparked outrage and condemnation from many, including members of his own faith. In the aftermath, he reached out to the Jewish community to educate himself and learn from his mistakes. Still, a key question remained unanswered: did he really say what he was accused of saying? By JENNIFER YANG, Identity and Inequality Reporter Sun., Oct. 22, 2017 See also statement by Elkasrawy: https://www.
Bricup, British Committee for the Universities of Palestine, and FSoI, Free Speech on Israel for immediate release - 29th May 2017 UCU Congress rejects "confusing" definition of antisemitism Support for Palestinian professor denied entry to Israel Download BRICUP FSOI leaflet ucu congress 2017 Free Speech on Israel, a Jewish-led organisation which defends the right to criticise Israel, and the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine, which campaigns for academic and cultural boycott of Israel, today welcomed the vote by the University and College Union (UCU) to reject the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
By Emma Heywood, Lecturer and researcher, Coventry University In The Conversation, 26 Ma 2017 As the massive Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike enters its second month, there are more than 1,300 detainees on hunger strike in Israeli prisons. More and more family members and supporters are gathering in “solidarity tents” throughout the West Bank and Gaza. I visited one such tent in Ramallah. Its blue tarpaulin walls were adorned with hundreds of photos of detainees, and about 150 relatives sat on plastic chairs clutching framed photos of their loved ones, eager to recount their stories.
HESPAL is a British Council managed scheme, which offers scholarships to young Palestinian lecturers from universities in the West Bank and Gaza enabling them to study in the UK. HESPAL aims to help create the next generation of senior academics who can maintain international quality standards at Palestinian universities and develop renewed, sustainable links between Palestinian and UK universities. University of Bristol, in partnership with the HESPAL scheme, will offer 3 PhD scholarships per year for a 4-year period from 2017/18, working with institutions in the West Bank and Gaza.
JANUARY 10, 2017~ MLABOYCOTT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2017 Media Contact: David Lloyd | dclloyd@ucr.edu In Keeping with Conservative History, MLA Votes Down Resolution to Boycott Israeli Institutions At the annual convention of the Delegate Assembly of the Modern Language Association [MLA], a resolution to endorse the Palestinian call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions for their involvement in violations of international law was voted down by 113-78.
David Lloyd, Mondoweiss, January 9, 2017 The news is in: on Saturday, a resolution to endorse the Palestinian call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions was rejected by the Delegate Assembly of the Modern Language Association, the largest and most traditional humanities association in the United States. An opposing resolution that directs the MLA not to endorse a boycott of Israeli universities passed by a narrow margin of eight votes.
Graduate student MLA members who support the boycott of Israeli academic institutions wrote the message below. Please share widely with graduate students who may have questions about the politics of academic boycott and why it is relevant to graduate student politics in the United States today. Sincerely, --The Coordinating Committee MLA Members for Justice in Palestine What will be the impact of the academic boycott resolution on the MLA? At the 2017 Convention, the Modern Language Association will take the first step in solidarity with Palestinian academics, students, and teachers when it considers a resolution to boycott Israeli institutions of higher education.
