A call for university action against Israeli scholasticide
February 27, 2024
Palestinians are known as one of the most educated people in the world. They have accomplished this as a key strategy in their resistance to dispossession and displacement. The scholasticide committed by Israel is not accidental but a pillar of the genocidal acts taken against Gaza. As a group of concerned scholars from South Australian universities, we have issued a call for our universities to take action against Israeli scholasticide, the deliberate destruction of education systems, education infrastructure and educators.
Sanam Mustafa, Jack Desbiolles, Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Mohamad Abdalla, Jon Jureidini, Pallave Dasari, Fran Baum
- University of Adelaide
- University of South Australia
Our call to universities
As a group of concerned scholars from South Australian universities, we have issued a call for our universities to take action against Israeli scholasticide, the deliberate destruction of education systems, education infrastructure and educators. Specifically, we are calling to:
1. Terminate all partnerships with Israeli academic institutions directly or indirectly involved in supporting or enabling acts of scholasticide.
2. Affirm solidarity with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, demanding Israel take measures to prevent acts falling within the scope of the Genocide Convention.
3. Cease all collaborative activities with Israeli partners contributing to such genocidal acts until the ICJ case is resolved.
4. Issue a statement endorsing the Australian governments plea for an immediate ceasefire.
5. Advocate for the urgent reinstatement of UNRWA funding.
6. Demand the immediate release of Israeli and foreign hostages currently detained in Gaza, along with all Palestinian hostages abducted from Gaza and arrested across Palestine, who are presently held under arbitrary detention in Israeli camps and prisons.
7. Implement measures to safeguard the well-being of our students and staff affected, directly or indirectly, by the current situation.
Why we have made the call
We cannot stand idly by while witnessing the genocide and widespread destruction carried out with impunity by the Israeli government. The horrifying scenes in Gaza, depicted nightly on news broadcasts and across social media, compel us to address the grave injustices suffered by an entire population. As of last week, reports indicate that 29,092 individuals have been killed, with 8,000 estimated missing, presumably dead, under the rubble. A staggering 60% of whom are women and children. Additionally, nearly 70,000 people are reported to be injured. The devastation of infrastructure, loss of cultural heritage, and environmental damage are unprecedented, and the lasting trauma to individuals, especially children, will be immeasurable.
Significantly, four Norwegian universities have severed ties with Israeli counterparts, and in October 2023, RMIT terminated its relationship with Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries. However, the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, and Flinders University have yet to condemn the nearly five months of relentless slaughter, let alone take action against those complicit in this genocide. This silence over Gaza is distressing to many staff and students, who privately condemn the atrocities but fear reprisal or damage to their public image if they speak out. This current situation is in vast contrast to overwhelming condemnations over wars or conflicts elsewhere in the world - why is it so controversial to call out the mass slaughter of a people, especially children, when they are Palestinians?
Despite this, within a matter of days, we collected 100 signatures through email. Throughout this process, it has become abundantly clear that members of the academic community in South Australia are deeply disheartened by the absence of leadership and silence amid one of the most horrifying and defining periods in modern history.
From students to middle-management, individuals are seeking strong leadership and a clear commitment to denounce the Israeli-led atrocities. By publicly endorsing the actions outlined in our call, we believe our universities can not only help halt a genocide but also empower members of our community to speak out against the ongoing assault on innocent people. We are confident that bold action from South Australian universities has the potential to catalyse similar efforts across Australia and beyond. A united voice cannot be ignored by policy makers who have the political tools to create change and demand peace.
To demonstrate wider community support, on Monday, February 26th, we launched our letter on Change.org (https://www.change.org/UrgentCallForUniversityActionOnGaza), inviting academics and the wider community to lend their support.
Details of the scholasticide
Our campaign builds on The Scholars Against the War on Palestine (SAWP) campaign highlighting the scholasticide taking place in Palestine, which has reached unprecedented levels in Gaza. Up to Day 125, Israel has bombed every university in Gaza, as well as 370 schools. These attacks have resulted in the documented loss of 231 educators, 95 University Professors and scientists, and 4,237 students. Israel initiated its systematic retaliation attacks on October 9th, 2023, with the bombing and destruction of the Islamic University of Gaza. Tragically, the universitys president, renowned scientist Dr. Sufyan Tayeh, was killed along with his family on December 2nd following the bombing of his house. Subsequent attacks targeted the University College of Applied Sciences and Technology on October 19th, Al-Azhar University on November 6th, Al-Quds Open University on November 15th, and Gaza University on December 4th, 2023. On January 17th, 2024, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) destroyed Al-Israa University, marking the destruction of the last remaining university in Gaza. Over the period, 90% of schools and 60% of libraries have also been damaged or destroyed. 90,000 students are now unable to study.
Palestinians are known as one of the most educated people in the world. They have accomplished this as a key strategy in their resistance to dispossession and displacement. The scholasticide committed by Israel is not accidental but a pillar of the genocidal acts taken against Gaza.
Restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near east (UNRWA)
Beyond the unprecedented assault on educational institutions, the people of Gaza now represent over 80% of people facing famine or catastrophic hunger worldwide. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) aims to provide lifesaving emergency supplies and services to more than 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza, but its critical work cannot continue without sustained contributions from countries worldwide. However, based on a six-page dossier from the Israeli government alleging that 12 out of 13,000 UNRWA workers were involved in the October 7th attacks, many countries including Australia, have immediately paused critical funding. It has now come to light that this decision to pause funding was made without sighting any evidence underpinning these allegations and a recent investigation by Channel 4 (UK) over the Israeli dossier found no evidence supporting the Israeli allegations against UNRWA.The International Court of Justice landmark ruling on January 26th 2024, has stated that Israel and all 153 state parties to the 1948 Genocide Convention must take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Australias decision to freeze UNRWA funding, based on unevidenced allegations, is not upholding the ICJ ruling and may be deemed as complicity in genocide.
Universities must be a moral compass for society
Our call to universities is founded on the belief that universities must be a moral compass for society. Our letter urges Chancellors and Vice Chancellors to take action and demonstrate that moral leadership by endorsing the actions which we are calling for, including, urging the Australian government to reinstate funding to UNRWA without delay. As educators and researchers, we have a moral obligation to speak out against injustices and uphold principles of international law. We have a particular responsibility to address the scholasticide in Gaza and historic Palestine, advocating for the protection of educational and research institutions, as well as the students, staff, and faculty who are part of them. As the keepers of knowledge, Universities must oppose the epistemicide, the destruction of knowledge systems, occurring in Gaza. There is an intimate relationship between scholasticide and genocide.
Our expectation is that the assault on Gaza will be stopped by the global voices of humanity and that our universities have a critical role in strengthening and hastening this movement. Universities must take a stand against the mass suffering of Palestinians, particularly women and children. We urge our universities to act on this matter urgently and uphold principles of justice, human rights, and the rule of international law.
As we wrote this article the following message came through from Dr. Aed Yaghi (Director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (Palestinian Medical Relief Society - Palestinian Medical Relief Society (pmrs.ps)) who spoke last November at an Australian Peoples Health Movement webinar on Gaza:
Thanks dears for your condolences. It was too horrible. We lost yesterday 40 person from my family. Till today 16:00 we found 18 bodies and body parts. 5 injured still under the treatment in the hospital and the others under the rubble.
The numbers can numb us into complacency but the thousands of personal tragedies happening across Gaza compel us to demand universities stop their silence and take action in support of justice in Palestine.
Further reading:
SAWP-Actions-Against-Scholasticide-Toolkit.pdf (scholarsagainstwar.org)
Despite myriad challenges, UNRWA continues lifesaving work in Gaza | UN News