*Solidarity with the Haifa Seven!*

* *

*Protest the harassment of seven Jewish and Arab students from Haifa
University,*

* who held a peaceful anti-racist picket on campus!*

On Wednesday (4.7), a few dozen Jewish and Arab students at Haifa
University, held a quiet protest on campus, in response to racist
remarks made by the Haifa University Students Union (HUSU) spokesperson,
*Saar Ziv*, when interviewed by a local newspaper. In the protest
organized by the local student club of the Democratic Front for Peace
and Equality (DFPE - Communist Party of Israel), the protesting students
held hands to form a human chain across campusTheir mouths were covered
in duct tape as they were holding signs that read, in Hebrew and Arabic:
"Let the Students Union Know -- It is Better to SHUT UP than SPEAK RACISM".

The University officials, which are generally hostile towards any
student political activity, and especially the activities of Arab
students, has charged seven of the protesting students, both Jewish and
Arab, with "Provoking a commotion" and "Wild behavior". The *Haifa
Seven, *who are to be put in front of a disciplinary committee are: Rami
Hod, Reem Hazzan, Arik Zolfin, Osama Amer, Uri Weltmann, Remon Maalouf
and Elad Bardes.

"During our peaceful protest, we shut our mouth with duct tape to show
our objection to the racist talk, the kind of which came out of the
mouth of the HUSU spokesperson", said *Reem Hazan*, one of the Haifa
Seven. "Now it seems the university officials are keen to shut our
mouths by force, for enacting our right to freedom of speech and
expression. Had the university been sincere in claiming to uphold
pluralism and critical thinking, it would have given us its support,
rather than threatening to expel us".

The protest came about after an interview with the HUSU spokesperson to
a local newspaper, in which he made racist remarks towards the Arab
students in general, and towards the Arab Students Committee (ASC) in
particular. Around 25% of the students of Haifa University are Arabs,
and they annually elect the ASC as their independent representative
body. The HUSU spokesperson claimed that the "Arab Students Committee is
against co-existence", and wished the university would disallow its
activities. He further said that he hopes that Arab students "will
realize who constitutes the majority around here". After the protest
took place, the HUSU spokesperson was interviewed for the leading news
portal NRG.co.il, where he publicly apologized for his remarks.

"What's most absurd is that the university chose to charge with
disciplinary actions those Jewish and Arab students who participated
together in a nonviolent and peaceful protest", said *Rami Hod*, one of
the Haifa Seven. "But Rightwing activists from the HUSU held several
demonstrations, none of which was according to university regulations,
all of which almost resulted in violence". Hod recalled that when the
DFPE student club called for an on-campus Jewish-Arab demonstration on
June, to protest the ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
and in support of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state
alongside Israel, the HUSU activists held a counter-protest,
unauthorized by the university. Nevertheless, the university officials
took no disciplinary steps towards them. In his opinion, this is a
conscious and deliberate policy of *Prof. Aaron Ben-Ze'ev*, President of
the University of Haifa, and* Prof, Yosi Ben-Artzi*, the Rector of the
university, designed to put down all anti-racist and anti-occupation
activities.

*During the coming months, the disciplinary committee will convene
several times to hear witnesses, discuss evidence, and decide whether to
convict and punish the Haifa Seven.*

*As the first disciplinary hearing of _August 13_ draws near, let Haifa
University officials know that *

*CURTAILING THE STUDENTS' FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS _UNEXCEPTABLE!_*__

*Contact Haifa University officials, and tell them that protesting
racism is not a crime, and that holding quiet and peaceful Jewish-Arab
pickets is to be commended, and not to be used as an excuse for expulsion. *

*Please let us know of your involvement, by sending us a copy of your
correspondence with the university officials. Contact us at
 _jabha.stud@gmail.com_ .***

President of the University of Haifa
Prof. Aaron Ben-Ze’ev
*Tel:* 972-4-8240101
*Fax:* 972-4-8240281
*E-mail:*  abenzeev@univ.haifa.ac.il

Rector of the University of Haifa
Prof. Yossi Ben-Artzi
*Tel:* 972-4-8240405
*Fax:* 972-4-8342101
*Email:*  yossib@univ.haifa.ac.il

Dean of Students of the University of Haifa
Prof. Ariel Bendor
*Tel:* 972-4-8240334/5
*Fax:* 972-4-8340319
*Email:*  _abendor@univ.haifa.ac.il_

Chairman of the Board of Govenors
Prof. Manfred Lahnstein

*Tel:* 972-4-8240093
*Fax:* 972-4-8342104

Chairman of the Executive Committee
Moshe Gavish

*Tel*.: 04-8249560, 8240585
*Fax*: 04-8342104

* *