Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
15 February
REPRESSION AND FIGHTBACK AT UK UNIVERSITIES
On this day in 2017, Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, wrote to Universities UK reminding the official representative body of its obligation to tackle “antisemitism” on campus ahead of Israel Apartheid Week, this following the UK Government adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Some universities cancelled pro-Palestine events without resistance but Dundee University students defied and defeated attempts at campus censorship, threatening a free speech campaign.
القمع والتحدي المعاكس في جامعات المملكة المتحدة
15 فبراير
في مثل هذا اليوم من عام 2017 ، كتب وزير الجامعات ، جو جونسون ، إلى الهيئات التمثيلية الرسمية لجامعات المملكة المتحدة يذكّرهم بمسؤلياتهم نحو معالجة "معاداة السامية" في الحرم الجامعي وكان ذلك قبل بدء نشاط أسبوع الفصل العنصري الإسرائيلي ، جاء ذلك بعد اعتماد حكومة المملكة المتحدة قرار التحالف الدولي لإحياء ذكرى (المحرقة) الهولوكوست (اي.ه.ر.أ) لتعريف معاداة السامية. ألغت بعض الجامعات الأنشطة المؤيدة لفلسطين دون مقاومة لكن طلاب جامعة دندي تحدوا وهزموا محاولات الرقابة في الحرم الجامعي ، مهددين بحملة حرية التعبير.
Universities urged to crack down on anti-Semitism ahead of Israel Apartheid Week
The right-wing Telegraph equated criticism of Israel with 'anti-semitism'.Dundee students stood up, fought back and won. Part of their letter in response to censorship attempts:
"If the university continues down this route of trying to impose extensive surveillance and to control free speech on Palestine there will be a very public campaign to defend our rights. Widespread public opinion is in solidarity with Palestine - and that includes students and staff of this university from whom we receive significant support.
"Our meeting will be taking place, whether it’s in Dalhousie or outside on the steps of the building - a picture that certainly would not paint the university in a good light."
University of Central Lancashire banned a meeting that was to be addressed by journalist Ben White as well as by academics. The university statement asserted that the meeting on “Debunking misconceptions on Palestine” contravened the definition of antisemitism recently adopted by the government, and would therefore not be lawful.
Academics condemned "this attempt to silence campus discussion about Israel, including its violation of the rights of Palestinians for more than 50 years. It is with disbelief that we witness explicit political interference in university affairs in the interests of Israel under the thin disguise of concern about antisemitism."
Other universities followed suit in banning meetings on Palestine.Update Feb 2021:
A fresh attack..."The new British government led by Boris Johnson is insisting that local councils and universities adopt the International IHRA) definition of antisemitism, and if they refuse, it will consider holding back funding, Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, told the Jerusalem Post
...is having limited success...
Only a minority of UK universities have adopted the misleading and politically motivated definition of anti-Semitism promoted by Israel and its lobby.
Despite repeated British government threats, fewer than 22 percent of higher education establishments have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s “working definition” of anti-Semitism.
...and stirring up resistance...
University College London’s governing body will reconsider its definition of antisemitism after an internal academic board rejected the use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition, which the university had adopted.
The revolt by senior academics at the London university is the latest incident in an emerging tussle with the government and the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, who last year threatened sanctions against universities that failed to adopt the IHRA definition.
"the IHRA definition has a great many detractors who sharply criticize the definition and how it has been eployed to attack and discredit advocates for Palestinian human rights.
90-minute video: informative discussion of the use of the IHRA definition to limit and control free speech on Palestine.