Motion from Socialist Workers’ Student Society – Matthew Kidd

Thousands of Birzeit University students and their families have been seriously affected by the measures of the Israeli authorities. Israeli military checkpoints, roadblocks, closures and curfews prevent students and teachers from getting to school or University.

Israel's policy of internal sieges, closures and curfews make basic access to the classroom a daily struggle for students and teachers and have severely disrupted the educational process.
During the 2001-2002 school year alone, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Education:
• 216 students were killed
• 2514 students were injured
• 164 students were arrested
• 17 teachers were killed
• 71 teachers were arrested

Friends of Birzeit University is a registered charity who continues to campaign for academic freedom and against human rights violations of Birzeit University students and staff. Their main focus is on the Gaza Student Campaign, which highlights the problems students from Gaza face in attempting to study at West Bank universities.

THIS UNION RESOLVES:

1. To support and campaign for the right to education for all Palestinian students.

2. To send a letter of support to the Birzeit University Student Council.

3. To support the Right to Education Campaign.

4. To affiliate to Friends of Birzeit University in the UK ( http://www.fobzu.org/)

The main benefits are in terms of showing solidarity with our fellow students at Birzeit and building relationships with Palestinian students. How far the relationship could develop - perhaps to exchanges - depends on the commitment and funds available.