Category Archives: Life of the society

Israeli Apartheid Week: Palestinian Youth Speak on Israeli Apartheid

Join us in Appleton Tower LT2, Edinburgh University, Wednesday 22nd February, 7pm
We are hosting a panel discussion with three young Palestinian activists:

Aghsan Barghouti

Aghsan is a coordinator with Stop the Wall, and active in the independent Palestinian youth movement, campaigning around BDS and against normalisation

Wassim Ghantous

Wassim is from Haifa and active with many Palestinian youth movements inside 1948 Palestine. He is currently living in Belgium, where he is active with a number of NGO’s and campaign groups working on BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions)

Murad Jadallah

Murad is a young Palestinian activist working with Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Human Rights and Support Association

This Semester’s Events!

BBC – Don’t Censor Palestine! – Saturday 21st May

When: 21 May · 06:00 - 23:30
Where: Your TV, Your Radio, Your Computer, Your Public Broadcasting!

Phone, e-mail, text, the BBC with ‘Free Palestine!’*

The BBC have messed up again.

They have rightly come under fire for censoring the word “Palestine” in a performance by rapper Mic Righteous on Charlie Sloth’s BBC 1Xtra hip hop show. The show was originally aired in December, but Mic Righteous’ set was re-aired at the end of April in a best-of episode, re-igniting controversy. A spokesperson from the BBC said the censorship wasnecessary to preserve the station’s “impartiality”. You can see the clip on the BBC website here (about 3 mins in). Read the article in the Guardian about the controversy here.

The BBC don’t have a great track record of being “impartial” when it comes to Palestine, given their controversial and indefensible decision not to air the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza after Operation Cast Lead in January 2009. You can read the BBC’s statement on this matter here.

On the 21st of May, people from all over Britain will demand that the BBC air the word “Palestine”. We will not stand for this censorship. We will email, text and phone every contact for every show and we will get Palestine on air.

BBC – DON’T CENSOR PALESTINE!

What you can do:
1) Invite everyone you know to participate in this facebook event.
2) Gather a group of friends together on Saturday with phones, computers, a twitter account (#dontcensorpalestine), whatever, put on a pot of coffee and get going.
3) Check back here for more information on scheduled programmes and contact details – to be uploaded soon. Make a list of all your targets and call/email/text in.

Remember: we’re trying to get Palestine ON AIR.

Phone in to a gardening programme with a question about your roses – when you get on air tell them in Palestine very little will grow because you have no access to water supplies.
Phone in for cooking advice from James Martin and ask him to say “Free Palestine” on air.

If you’re only emailing or texting, you may not get on air. That’s OK! This is a huge statement in itself. We need to inundate the BBC with demands to use the word “Palestine” – and to make a public apology for this politically motivated censorship.

Most importantly, we can’t let this happen quietly.

Trip to Palestine – last chance to sign up! – 24th March

When: 24 March, 17:00 - 18:00
Where: Room 7.18, David Hume Tower

Edinburgh Uni SJP are holding a last meeting on the student trip to Palestine this summer for people to come along, find out more and sign up!

The trip will take place after May exams and involve a tour of the occupied West Bank & Jerusalem.

This is a fantastic opportunity to sample Palestinian culture, find out more about the situation on the ground, and makes loads of new friends!

See you on Thursday!

**If you have already confirmed your interest in the trip then you do not need to attend**

Press Release 16/03/11: Edinburgh University students vote overwhelmingly for boycott of Israeli goods

A motion to boycott Israel was overwhelmingly passed at the Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) General Meeting on Monday 14th March. In what was described as a ‘landslide’, the motion, ‘Boycott Israeli Goods in EUSA shops and supply chains’ received around 270 votes in favour, with only 20 students voting against.

Despite the meeting requiring over 300 students to attend for it to be quorate and for decisions taken to be binding, the huge level of student support for the motion means that EUSA will be under severe student pressure to adopt it as official policy.

Proposed by students from Edinburgh University Students for Justice in Palestine, the motion noted that Israel is an apartheid state and resolved to affiliate EUSA to the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, to boycott Israeli goods in EUSA supply chains and shops, and to mandate the EUSA executive to lobby the University to do the same.

After the motion was discussed for around 15 minutes, it was put to a vote and the result was so comprehensive that no count was required. The passing of the motion led to rapturous applause in the George Square Lecture Theatre, where the General Meeting was held, and was by far the most welcomed result of the night.

Similar motions have been passed at SOAS, Manchester, and Sussex Universities in recent years. This latest result seems a clear indication that students in the UK are continuing to play a prominent role in the campaign for a just peace in Palestine.

The motion came in the wake of recent protests against Israeli officials speaking at the University. In February, student activists shut down a talk by Ishmael Khaldi, advisor to Israeli foreign minister Avidgor Lieberman, and, two weeks ago, over 100 students protested against the invitation of Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor to the University.

The proposer of the motion, second year Maths and Music student Daniel Beesley said “I am overwhelmed with the outcome of the General Meeting. It is great to see students of Edinburgh University once again standing up against injustice, just as they did during Apartheid South Africa. EUSA represents that views of students and we are sure they they will take on board what was clearly the opinion of the vast majority who attended the GM, and endorse the boycott.|”

The motion’s seconder, Liam O’Hare, a student of International Relations, said: “Israel has occupied, ethnically cleansed and practised apartheid against the Palestinians for 63 years. The BDS movement seeks to force Israel to abide by international law and is gathering huge momentum year on year. I think the General Meeting proved that the student population at Edinburgh University do not want goods from an Apartheid state on campus and, despite the meeting narrowly not being quorate, I fully expect EUSA to act upon this motion.”

EUSA GM: Voting to Boycott Israeli Goods – 14st March

When: 14th March, 19:00 - 20:00
Where: George Square Lecture Theatre

Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you take the side of the oppressor”

The full motion can be read here.

A motion is being proposed at the forthcoming EUSA GM to boycott Israeli goods in EUSA shops and supply chains. This is part of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement which has its foundations firmly in international law and has three mains goals:

1. An end to the illegal occupation of the lands taken by Israel in 1967 (West Bank, Gaza Strip & Golan Heights)

2. Full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel

3. Right of return for Palestinians refugees ethnically cleansed in 1948

Like South Africa was, Israel is an apartheid state and treats it’s citizens and the people it occupies differently on the basis of their ethnicity and religion. Since what the international community calls “constructive engagement” has failed utterly and Israel continues to build illegal settlements, practise apartheid, and ethnically cleanse Palestinians, it seems clear that it is time for international civil society to take action.

Since the call was made in 2005 by over 170 Palestinian civil society organisations, the BDS movement has grown rapidly and in the UK university unions such as Sussex, Manchester and SOAS have had BDS motions passed. The Trade Union Congress and the Scottish Trade Union Congress have also firmly adopted BDS against Israel.

In addition, cultural signatories to BDS include Ken Loach, Gil Scott Heron, Elvis Costello, and recently Pete Seeger and Roger Waters.

This motion is not about taking the lead – it’s about catching up. Come to the EUSA GM and Vote for the Boycott of Israeli goods in EUSA shops on Monday!

Why boycott Israel? -10th March

When: Thursday 10th March, 18:00 - 19:00
Where: Faculty Room South, David Hume Tower

The recent leak of the Palestine papers has made clear just how non-existant any peace process is. In this stalemate, as Israel continues the military occupation of Palestinian territory, expropriate land, enforce a brutal siege on Gaza, and lock up political leaders, what direction should the movement for a just peace take? Come along and hear three Edinburgh University students present the case for Boycotting Apartheid Israel.

A motion is being proposed at the EUSA GM on Monday 14th of March which seeks to ban the sale of Israeli goods from EUSA shops, until Israeli abides by international law. Come to our meeting on Thursday to hear the reasons why this motion is important and why it is even more important that you vote YES to boycotting Israeli goods in EUSA.

Women of Resistance – 8th March

When: Tuesday 08 March, 19:00 - 20:30
Where: Appleton Tower, Lecture Theatre 4

As part of International Women’s day and Israeli Apartheid Week, SJP & SPSC will be co-hosting Rafeef Ziadah and Terri McLaughlin.

Rafeef Ziadah is a Palestinian refugee, spoken word artist and activist. She is on the committee of International Israeli Apartheid Week and has spoken at international conferences on behalf of the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) National Committee.

Palestine solidarity activist Terri McLaughlin will talk about the women who took part in a successful direct action which contributed to the eventual closure of the Derry offices of US missile manufacturer Raytheon.

This is sure to be an exciting event and we look forward to seeing you all there!

See the Facebook event here.

Trip to Palestine meeting – 8th March

When: Tuesday 08 March, 17:00 – 18:30
Where: Room G.10, William Robertson Building

SJP are having another meeting regarding the trip to Palestine at the end of May. If you are interested in coming on the trip it is really important that you come to this meeting! All your questions will be answered and we will start to put plans in place for the trip itself.

This trip is open to all students, and will be an amazing experience for everyone that goes.

If you are interested but for some reason can’t make the meeting or if you have any further questions, please get in touch with edinburghsjp@gmail.com

Press Release 22/02/2011: Students protest Israeli ambassador’s visit to Edinburgh University

A lecture yesterday afternoon by Ron Prosor, Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, at Edinburgh University, was met with protests from within and outside the venue.

A group of 100 people, comprised of students, members of the local Palestinian community and the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, assembled outside McEwan Hall to protest the event, hosted by the Edinburgh University Politics Society. The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, and “Boycott Israel”.

Despite heavy security measures, 10 student activists were able to enter the venue to lead a peaceful demonstration inside. During Prosor’s talk, the protesters stood up one by one, shouting the name of a Palestinian child that they were there to represent. All of the names said were those of children killed in Operation Cast Lead in January 2009. Each of them put tape over their mouths to signify the “silencing” and turned their backs on Prosor in a defiant symbolic protest. After about ten minutes they left the room, signalling their disgust at the invitation of a mouthpiece of a regime which had silenced so many innocent Palestinians.

After the hour-long talk, demonstrators continued to gather around the McEwan Hall and Ron Prosor had to be sneaked out a back entrance by police and security

This is the second time in the space of three weeks, that Edinburgh University students have protested the invitation of an official Israeli representative. A lecture by Ishmael Khaldi, advisor to Israel’s foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, had to be cancelled after demonstrators filled the venue.

A statement by Edinburgh SJP read “We were delighted with the turnout for the protest yesterday. Edinburgh students are playing an increasing role in the campaign to boycott Israel until they end their apartheid, colonial policies towards the occupied Palestinian people. Ron Prosor was here to spew Israeli propaganda and defend war crimes and the actions of the protesters sent him a clear message that he is not welcome at our University. We continue to be deeply disturbed by the Politics society’s decision to host such a representative However Prosor’s presence in Edinburgh yesterday only strengthens our resolve to continue the fight for the boycott of Apartheid Israel on campus.”