R2E Campaign denounces Israeli Occupation’s Raid on Birzeit U’s campus

The Right to Education Campaign at Birzeit University is outraged by the barbaric raid of Birzeit University’s campus by the Israeli occupation forces. The Israeli forces stormed campus in the early morning hours of Wednesday 14 December 2016, in a direct violation of the sanctity of our university, and a blatant attack on the right to education and the freedom of education guaranteed by international conventions and laws.

Scores of Israeli military vehicles raided the University’s campus at 01:50 in the morning by breaking through the western gate. They broke into the Student Union Offices and confiscated three computers and other equipment, and seized all its contents of flags, banners, microphones, speakers, leaflets and brochures. The army detained the university security personnel as they stormed into the university’s buildings; including the administration building, the Headquarters of the student council, Kamal Nasir Hall and the Faculty of Science.

This invasion is part and parcel of the occupation systematic arbitrary actions towards Palestinian higher education. Birzeit University, Al-Khadoury and Al-Quds universities were exposed to several invasions by the occupation military.

Hindering the progress of higher education is another expression of the Israeli occupation’s practices that deliberately pervades every aspect of Palestinians lives; seeking to undermine the educational process and deprive the younger generation of their right to education.

The Israeli Occupation has been outrageously arresting our students. The numbers of Birzeit University students detained in Israeli prisons have reached more than 60 students. A number of these students are held under administrative detention (for a renewable six months period and without a charge).

The continuous aggression on the right to education is part of Israel’s on-going colonial oppression against the Palestinian people, institutions and land.

The Right to Education Campaign at Birzeit University calls upon all conscientious individuals and groups around the world to actively engage in supporting our struggle for liberation from colonialism through joining the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS). We also urge students and academics to highlight Israel’s continued colonial violations within their campuses and beyond as well as lobby their parliamentary representatives to hold Israel accountable for its violation of the rights of the Palestinians.

More Articles

R2E visit to Abu Nuwar School

Elementary school children from the Bedouin...

By admin • Sep 09 Read More »