Green Party supports brave souls occupying Arts Building at UEA, in solidarity with students in Gaza

OK, here's a longer comment from me:

 

"I applaud the student protesters and their admirable stand against the slaughter of civilians in Gaza. Their peaceful occupation (of the building in UEA where I have an office) stands in symbolic contrast to the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine.

"The key to peace and to security for all sides in the conflict, is justice. This requires Israel to cease its disproportionate violence against Palestine, and to end its occupation and withdraw to its pre-1967 borders, thus allowing for the creation of a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state. In reciprocation, armed Palestinian groups should cease their attacks on Israelis.

"The University of East Anglia has an ethical investment policy, which I helped pioneer a decade ago. So UEA has already disinvested from BAE and other companies that supply arms to Israel. Now UEA needs to take the next steps forward: UEA should express its solidarity with people struggling to study in the terrible environment that they find themselves in in Gaza, by funding scholarships for Palestinian students. UEA should begin the process of twinning with one of the Universities in Gaza (this will make it legally easier for the UEA to send aid). And UEA should commit to supplying education aid to the University of Gaza: for example, old computers and text books should be sent there to help replenish the resources destroyed in the recent bombardment.

"These are the demands of the students at UEA. I offer my encouragement and respect to them, as they struggle for the rights of students in Palestine. It is good to show such care about fellow human beings, even though they be thousands of miles away. We can all learn from the stand of these young people.
"These are extraordinary times. Israel is in breach of the Geneva Conventions with its war and siege on Gaza. It still occupies Palestine. In such cases the Green Party fully backs such peaceful protest as is going on right now at UEA."

 

I will be going onto campus early in the morning of tomorrow, Thursday 12 February, to meet with the students engaged in the occupation. 

 

p.s. Check out  http://www.counterpunch.org/nlg02092009.html  A Report from Gaza: Strong Indications of Israeli War Crimes  By U.S. NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD