*Palestinian Popular Movements and Civil Society Re-Assert Call for Comprehensive Academic Boycott of Apartheid Israel *

By Monday 16th May, 2005 over 100 Palestinian social movements, NGOs and civil society groups had endorsed the statement released by the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, re-asserting the call for a comprehensive academic boycott of Apartheid Israel. The statement backs the initiative taken by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) to boycott two Israeli Universities and to consider calls for a complete academic boycott of Israel. We see this as a means of providing concrete and effective support for the Palestinian liberation struggle. The AUT motion comes at a crucial time for Palestinians as the Occupation continues to steal our land, ghettoize us behind Apartheid Walls and expand its settlements.

*Open letter from Palestinian Civil Society in Support of AUT Academic Boycott*

Greetings from Palestine.

We wish to express our full support of the decision made by delegates of your organization on the 22nd of April to launch immediate boycotts of Haifa and Bar-Ilan Universities, and to disseminate to all Union branches for further consideration the “Call for Boycott of Israeli academic institutions”.

The motion passed by your organization marks an historic moment in the global movement to isolate Apartheid Israel as a means of forging effective solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, self-determination and sovereignty. We appreciate the efforts of the Union in following the groundswell of popular sentiment throughout civil society in Palestine advocating comprehensive boycotts, sanctions and divestment of Israel.

As you are aware Israel continues to flout international law and imposes the most brutal military occupation on the Palestinian people. On a daily basis this occupation steals our land and ghettoizes us behind Walls in a project aimed at the expulsion of Palestinians from their land.

We thus welcome your initiative as an important move of solidarity with us in our struggle, and we urge you to broaden the boycott until it is comprehensive of all Israeli academic institutions. Do not be deterred in your efforts by those whose opposition to your decision only legitimates and enhances the injustice and brutality of the occupation. Please continue to gain inspiration from the Palestinian people struggling for their land and liberation at this challenging juncture.

Signatories:

*Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign – www.stopthewall.org;

*which includes support from the following committees and organizations:

– 54 popular committees represented by the 8 district committees:
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Jenin
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Tulkarem
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Qalqiliya
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Ramallah
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of North-West Jerusalem
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of East Jerusalem
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Bethlehem
– Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of the Jordan Valley
– Pengon (Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network), representing,
– Al-Ard Society for Environmental Awareness and Protection
– Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ)
– The Center for Agricultural Services (TCAS)
– The Center for Development in Primary Health Care (CDPHC)- Al Quds University
– Institute of Water Studies, Birzeit University
– Development and Environment Association-Baladna Cultural Center
– Land Research Center (LRC)
– LAW-The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
– The Local Committee for the Protection of the Environment
– MA\’AN Development Center
– Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees
– The Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange (PACE)
– Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)
– Roads and Environmental Safety Center (RESC)
– The Society for Environmental Protection
– Union of Agricultural Work Committees(UAWC)
– Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
– Water and Environment Department-Ramallah Municipality
– Water and Soil Environmental Research Unit (WSERU), Bethlehem University
– Water and Environmental Studies Center (WESC)
– Wildlife Palestine Society (WLPS)
– Further participating civil society organizations:
– Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC)
– Farmers Union,
– YMCA/YWCA
– Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid

*PACBI- Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott Initiative* which includes support from:

– Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities\’ Professors and Employees

*Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)* which includes support from the following organizations:

– Ad-Dameer Prisoners\’ Support and Human Rights Association (Ramallah)
– Ad-Dameer Association for Human Rights (Gaza)
– A-Hanan Benevolent Association for Mother & Child
– Al-Haq Institute
– Al-Huda Development Society
– Al-Karmel Cultural Center
– Al-Maghazi Cultural Center
– Al-Majd Women\’s Association
– Al-Manhal Woman and Child Cultural Center
– Al-Mawrid Teacher Development Center
– Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
– Al-Najda Social Association
– Al-Taghreed Society for Culture and Art
– Al-Wafa Elderly Nursing Home
– Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ)
– Arab Center for Agricultural Development (ACAD)
– Arab Thought Forum (ATF)
– Ashtar for Theatre Production and Training
– Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children
– Atta\’ Services to the Aged
– Bisan Center for Research & Development
– Care for Children with Special Needs
– Central Blood Bank Society
– Child Care & Maternal Guidance Society
– Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA)
– Dar As-Salam Hospital
– Defence for Children International (DCI)
– Early Childhood Resource Center- Children\’s Rights (ECRC)
– Educational Development Center
– Educational Network Center
– First Ramallah Group (FRG)
– Guidance and Training Center for the Child and Family
– Halhul Cultural Forum
– Health, Development, Information & Policy Institute (HDIP)
– Health Work Committees (HWC)
– Human Developmental Association
– Jabalia Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped
– Jerusalem Legal Aid & Human Rights Center (JLAC)
– Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center
– Khuza\’a Center for Sustainable Agriculture
– Land Defense General Committee-Palestine
– Land Research Center (LRC)
– Ma\’an Development Center
– Maqassed Charitable Islamic Society
– Muwatin: The Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy
– Palestinian Agricultural Development Association (PARC)
– Palestinian Agricultural Society
– Palestinian Association for Credit & Development (FATEN)
– Palestinian Association for Development and Reconstruction (PADR)
– Palestinian Business Women\’s Association (ASALA)
– Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)
– Palestinian Diaspora & Refugee Center (Shaml)
– Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association
– Palestinian Society for Consumer Protection
– Palestinian Women\’s Union
– PANORAMA – Palestinian Center for the Dissemination of Democracy and Community Development
– Popular Art Center
– Project Loving Care Society
– Public Service Society
– Rawdat Az-Zuhur Society
– Red Crescent Society (Gaza)
– Remedial Education Center
– Sabreen Association for Artistic Development
– Science & Cultural Center
– Tamer Institute for Community Education
– Teacher Creativity Center (TCC)
– Thalassemia Patients\’ Friendship Society
– The Arab Society for Orphans
– The Democracy and Workers\’ Rights Center
– The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
– The Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC)
– The National Society for Rehabilitation
– The Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)
– The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
– The Palestinian Center for Microprojects & Development (PCMD)
– The Palestinian Counseling Center (PCC)
– The Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)
– The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy (Miftah)
– The Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD)
– The Women and Family Affairs Center
– The Women\’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC)
– Treatment & Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
– Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
– Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC)
– Union of Health Work Committees Gaza (UHWC)
– Union of Palestinian Farmers
– Union of Palestinian Handicapped
– Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
– Women\’s Affairs Center
– Women\’s Studies Center
– Young Women\’s Christian Association (YWCA)

*OPGAI – Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative,*which includes support from the following organizations:

– YMCA East-Jerusalem
– Palestinian Grassroots Anti Apartheid Wall Campaign
– YWCA – Palestine
– Alternative Tourism Group
– Golan for Development
– Badil Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
– Jerusalem Centre for Women
– Environmental Education Centre
– Ibdaa

*Further civil society organizations and individuals*:

– Saraya Centre for Community Service
– Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists
– ZEINA- the center for families and friends of children with cancer
– Arab Educational Institute – Open Windows Bethlehem/Palestine (Affiliated to Pax Christi International)
– Dr. Bishara Elias Awad, President, Bethlehem Bible College
– The Holyland Trust
– Palestinian Vision

*** * http://www.stopthewall.org/ ****