Life at the University of Gaza

This e-mail came through my university and has completely been cleared as originating from the President of the Islamic University of Gaza. I was wondering how many people on ATS who are/were students at a University would respond to this scenario? If anybody wants the complete e-mail I will forward it. One wonders what the world would say if this letter came from an Israeli University instead?

"On Saturday December 27th, 2008, the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG) was ready to start the final exams of the fall semester for more than 20,000 students. On that day, more than 60 Israeli American-made F16 warplanes began to bomb the Palestinian population of Gaza at a time when the maximum number of children were going to and coming from schools.

On the next day, Sunday December 28th, Israeli F16 fighters bombed IUG with several missiles targeting two-six-storey buildings housing all university’s laboratories belonging to the colleges of IT, engineering and science. As in all other universities all over the world, these labs served the enhancement of teaching and learning skills.

The bombardment of both buildings also caused extensive damages to all university buildings, including the central library and lecture halls and led to major disarray in completing the fall semester, entailing the inability of hundreds of students to graduate.

Although IUG has repeatedly emphasized pure academic activities conducted in its buildings and labs, such horrific attack is the 3rd of its kind in less than three years

The bombing come at a time IUG faces major financial difficulties as many students’ families cannot pay fees due to the high rate of unemployment caused by the siege imposed on Gaza by the Israeli army.

The Israeli propaganda machine which accompanied the brutal aggression in order to justify the extensive damages to many civilian educational and health facilities broadcasts massive misinformation, allegations and lies about the targets Israeli warplanes destroyed. To prevent any independent verification of the Israeli lies, the Israeli army prevented all foreign journalists and human rights monitors from entering Gaza during the aggression.

After the attack stopped, the truth of the destructive bombing and using both internationally banned white phosphorus shells and dime bombs against civilian targets have been steadily confirmed by UN institutions, international media (electronicintifada.net...) and above all Israeli academics and human rights groups who condemned such attacks.

We firmly believe that the illegal Israeli occupation has endlessly violated legitimacy of the international community and international law and has deliberately targeted the Palestinian academic institutions, including IUG, in a vain attempt to keep the Palestinians ignorant and insecure so that the oppressive Israeli occupation could last longer.

We therefore call upon all academics, faculty associations, student unions, professional and colleagues at large to show their support and solidarity to the right of the Palestinians to education. Several positive worldwide steps have already been taken including boycotting Israeli academic cultural institutions and activities.

Your solidarity and support for the right to education in Palestine is vital and highly appreciated.

Dr Kamalain Sha'ath
President, the Islamic University of Gaza"

How many times can someone cry wolf. Did this man vote for Hamas? Did not his people vote for Hamas? Is not Hamas founded on the complete destruction of the state of Israel? The hypocrisy is there but no one cares to point it out. Horrible things happened on both sides, so you might ask but who is the greater victim. Who has the sadder story? Thus, we will just go back and forth ad infinitum. It will only end when there is no Israel or no "Palestinians."