Year: 2009

‘The government is treating us in the same way as Israel is treating the Palestinians!’

Posted on By 3arabawy

From Egypt and Beyond…

…there is one phrase that I’ve kept hearing again and again: “The government is treating us in the same way as Israel is treating the Palestinians!”
The idea here is that people around the region identify and sympathize with the Palestinians not simply because they share a common culture or language (or for that matter an irrational hatred of Jews, unrelated to the Zionist colonization of Arab land, as some would have it), but also because they share a common experience of oppression and dispossession.

SOAS students occupy university building in solidarity with Gaza

Posted on By 3arabawy

From Socialist Worker…

Students at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London have occupied the Brunei Gallery Suite in protest at a Ministry of Defence exhibition being held there and in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

UPDATE: The students scored victory…

Students at the School of Oriental and African Studies (Soas) occupying the Brunei Gallery in solidarity with Gaza have declared victory after winning significant demands from the university management.
These include an agreement that there will be no military on campus without prior consultation with the student union. A motion passed yesterday by the student union opposes all military presence on campus. It stands for the next five years.
The occupying students will also have exclusive use of the gallery space until end of day Friday. This time will be used to hold meetings on issues related to Israel’s assault on Gaza, such as boycotting Israeli goods and Israeli war crimes. Tariq Ali is already confirmed to speak at the space tomorrow.
University authorities have also agreed that students will be able use the lecture Theater and gallery for their own use throughout the year. Previously the rooms cost £1,000 to hire for a day – though the Ministry of Defence got it for free.