Since its
occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967, the Israeli army has
deliberately targeted Palestinian universities, the student body, and
faculty.
These
sanctuaries of higher education were seen as a potential threat to the Israeli
occupation.
As the first
institution of higher education in Palestine, Birzeit University has been in the
forefront in developing a treasured national resource—the human resource. With every part of Palestine under
Israeli control, the human mind remained the only territory that Palestinians
could use to launch their struggle for freedom. An educated Palestine is a thinking,
productive, independent, and innovative population not willing to be
subservient.
Birzeit
University offers a number of undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. It also offers two High Diplomas in
Primary Healthcare and Gender, Law, and Development. During the 2001/2002 academic year, the
student body numbered 5318 students with half the students being female. There are 276 faculty and 405
non-academic employees.
As academics, students, educators, intellectuals, and individuals
who value education and freedom, your support is needed to keep the doors of
Birzeit University open to its students.
Since March 2001, the academic life at Birzeit University has been
severely disrupted and at times crippled by a hostile Israeli military
checkpoint on the Ramallah-Birzeit road.
This checkpoint serves no “security” purpose for Israel.
Its function is to disrupt daily life, prevent students from
reaching their classrooms, and is a trap for university students and faculty who
in their pursuit of education are arrested, detained, physically assaulted, and
sometimes killed.
With the Israeli re-occupation of the Palestinian areas in June
2002, blanket curfews and increased checkpoints brought Palestinian academic
life to a screeching halt. Birzeit
University students and faculty along with the entire Palestinian civilian
population are confined to their homes as the academic year passes by.
Since its establishment as Birzeit College in 1942, Birzeit
University has strived to promote excellence by providing quality academics,
training, research, and community programs. The programs emphasize social awareness,
democratic civic values, and sustainable development and are a major aspect of
student life.
This
long-standing institution of higher education and excellence is on the verge of
collapse. In its campaign to
destroy Palestinian civil life and infrastructure, Israel has violated
international humanitarian law with its collective punishment measures and the
denial of a “protected civilian population under military occupation” from
education.
While some world leaders have allowed these violations to
continue, the students and faculty of Birzeit University are confident that you
will not. We must challenge this
campaign to destroy Palestinian civil life and educational havens.
We demand that Israel:
1.
Lift the siege on the Palestinian areas and remove military
checkpoints so that students and faculty have safe and unhindered access to
Birzeit University and other institutions of education.
2. Abide by international humanitarian law and conventions which protect civilians under military occupation and guarantee their right to education, work, and medical care.
The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development (JFECD)
is proud to have supported Birzeit University over the past decade in educating
Palestine’s future. Through
numerous scholarships, grants, and other contributions from generous,
conscientious donors such as yourself, we have been an active part in building
the foundation for a free and democratic Palestine.
At this time we find ourselves writing to you again with an urgent request. We need your signature to keep the doors of Birzeit University open. By signing this appeal, you are endorsing your support in holding Israel accountable to the international laws and conventions mentioned above, as well as fostering an equitable future for Palestine and the continued work the country’s finest university.
To sign on to the appeal, you may send a response to
<events@palestinecenter.org> with
“Birzeit” as the subject.
Signatures will be collected and complied to a list which will be sent to
government officials in the United States and Israel.
Your support is appreciated.
Please feel free to forward this appeal to all interested parties.