Cambridge SU joins the Arab Society, Palestine Solidarity Society, and other student groups in condemning the recent escalation of violence in Occupied Palestine and Gaza.
Cambridge SU joins the Arab Society, Palestine Solidarity Society, and other student groups in condemning the recent escalation of violence in Occupied Palestine and Gaza.
We stand in solidarity with the Palestinians protesting the forced expulsion of families from Sheikh Jarrah as Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. As the UN Human Rights Office has warned, this is “prohibited under international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime.” [1]
We stand in solidarity with the worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque who were brutalised by Israeli police forces with rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas as they observed prayer during the holy month of Ramadan; and with the over 200 civilians in Gaza who have lost their lives to airstrikes in the week since.
Yesterday (18/05), the Palestinian people launched a general strike across Occupied Palestine and Gaza, in resistance to the occupation and the escalating bombardment. We stand with Palestinian students and staff, in solidarity with the general strike and with the Palestinian people across the world in their struggle for liberation. To echo the Arab Society, “Our generation will continue to dream of a peaceful world, where the law prevails and applies equally to everyone.” [2] The BME Campaign is a space of care and compassion which you are welcome to reach out to if you need support.
We are also concerned by the reported increase in anti-Semitic incidents over the past few days, which we absolutely condemn. Anti-Semitism masquerading as pro-Palestinian sentiment only serves to endanger Jewish people, erase the rich history of Jewish-Palestinian solidarity, and undermine the Palestinian cause of justice and anti-racism. We stand with Jewish students and staff against all forms of racism, and urge you to reach out to the BME Campaign as a place of support if you feel you need to. You can report incidents of anti-Semitism to the University through the Report+Support service: https://reportandsupport.cam.ac.uk
If you share in our outrage over the recent events in Palestine, we urge you to:
?? Sign the Palestine Solidarity Society’s open letter demanding action from the University: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_sr8Gxi4-z82GZ_MyW8IEbmNrU1wvqvU4N9CrG_I2Lr-P_A/viewform
?? Voice your concern with your MP using this document containing various templates for letters: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-RUOHHiEtr7uoclQgWN-tCWOihnHIp5hym89aNePi_E/edit.
?? Donate to Medical Aid for Palestinians (@MedicalAidPal), who are raising funds to respond to the current emergency on the ground: www.map.org.uk/donate/donate.
[1] https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1091492
[2] www.facebook.com/CUArabSociety/posts/3994614073963300