Tag Archives: campus

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.

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.”

Israeli Shir Hever talks on: The Political Economy of Israel’s occupation – 24th Feb

When: Thursday 24th of February. 13:00-16:00
Where: 11.01 David Hume Tower

In the same week as the ambassador for Israeli apartheid, Ron Prosor, visited Edinburgh University, Students for Justice in Palestine are delighted to host Shir Hever, an Israeli economic researcher for joint Palestinian-Israeli organisation The Alternative Information Centre and author of ‘The Political Economy of Israel’s Occupation’.

As part of a tour organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Capaign, Shir will be talking on the need for using boycott tactics against Israel to force it to abide by international law.

Come along for what is sure to be an engaging discussion and if you want to find out what Israelis who want fight the occupation think we should be doing.

As he says:
“Israeli society is a decadent society in an unstoppable decline, resistant to internal calls for reform and politically paralysed from within.”
“Only external pressure can truly bring change to this society, and allow democracy to take hold in the region, not only for the benefit of Palestinians, but for the benefit of Israelis too. External pressure, by using political and economic tools such as sanctions and boycott, returns the issues of civil rights and democracy to the fore, and deprives Israel of the option to use its military might to make the problem go away.”

Visit Palestine with SJP!

Edinburgh University Students for Justice in Palestine are planning their third annual trip to Palestine!

Are you interested in visiting the Middle East? Learning more about the situation on the ground, Palestinian culture and meeting students from Palestine? This could be for you! This trip is open to all Edinburgh University students and takes place after May exams.

Come along to an open meeting on Wednesday the 16th of February at 13.00 in room 7.01, David Hume Tower.

We’ll explain how the last trip went and what we’re planning this year. If you have any questions, just email edinburghsjp@gmail.com .

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!