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Nearly 1,500 academics all over the world and rectors from 111 Turkish universities have signed an open letter condemning the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza. The letter also appeals to Israeli academics to speak out against their government.
“We have been asked by our academic colleagues in Gaza – whose universities have been destroyed a number of times in the last six years, who are unable to teach or study, and who are also in growing need of food and medicines, like the rest of the almost two million Palestinians living in Gaza – to urge you to act urgently, to make your voice heard in Israel and abroad against what the Israeli government is inflicting on the Gaza population”.
“We invite you, as fellow academics and intellectuals, to join your voices in an open and resounding protest about these war crimes by the Israeli government – your government. We urge you to stand up and be counted, to answer the call of your Gazan colleagues and make your voice heard”, the letter reads.
Among the well-known scholars who have signed the letter are Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis,John Berger and Richard Falk. In response 68 scholars in Israel have signed the public denunciation.
“The signatories to this statement, all academics at Israeli universities, wish it to be known that they utterly deplore the aggressive military strategy being deployed by the Israeli government. The slaughter of large numbers of wholly innocent people, is placing yet more barriers of blood in the way of the negotiated agreement which is the only alternative to the occupation and endless oppression of the Palestinian people. Israel must agree to an immediate ceasefire, and start negotiating in good faith for the end of the occupation and settlements, through a just peace agreement”, the Israeli signatories said in a written statement.
The 111 Turkish universities’ rectors, in addition to condemning Israel, vowed to break all academic, social and cultural relations with Israeli universities until the assault on Gaza ends and the blockade of the Palestinian enclave is lifted.
The open letter, which was originally sent on July 13th, closes its call for signatures on July 25th.
