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ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK
What is Israeli Apartheid Week?
As described on www.apartheidweek.org, IAW 'is an annual international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe. The aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement.'
However, as explained by Khaled Abu Toameh-- a West Bank and Gaza correspondent for the Jerusalem Post and U.S News and World Report, as well as a BBC producer for several documentaries on Palestine, the "so-called pro-Palestinian 'junta'" on the campuses has nothing to offer other than hatred and delegitimization of Israel. If these folks really cared about the Palestinians, they would be campaigning for good government and for the promotion of values of democracy and freedom in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"Their hatred for Israel and what it stands for has blinded them to a point where they no longer care about the real interests of the Palestinians, namely the need to end the anarchy and lawlessness, and to dismantle all the armed gangs that are responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent Palestinians over the past few years.
The majority of these activists openly admit that they have never visited Israel or the Palestinian territories. The don't know - and don't want to know - that Jews and Arabs here are still doing business together and studying together and meeting with each other on a daily basis because they are destined to live together in this part of the world. What is happening is not about supporting the Palestinians as much as it is about promoting hatred for the Jewish state. It is not really about ending the 'occupation' as much as it is about ending the existence of Israel"(1).
Quick Facts:
- This year, 2010, will be IAW's sixth consecutive year in running. Originating at the University of Toronto in 2005, it has spread to 40 campuses worldwide including South Africa, West Bank, Mexico, Scotland, Norway and England, as well as Canada and the United States (2).
- Past events include demonstrations, lectures, film screenings, multimedia events, cultural performances and information booths (3, 4).
- In 2009 Michael Ignatieff, current leader of the Liberal party, pronounced IAW as a time that caused Israeli and Jewish students to become demonized and 'fear for their safety' on their university campus. He also stated that IAW 'should be condemned by all who value civil and respectful debate about the tragic conflict in the Middle East' (5).
1. http://www.hudsonny.org/2009/03/on-campus-the-pro-palestinians-real-agenda.php
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Apartheid_Week
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Apartheid_Week
5. IGNATIEFF CONDEMNS ISRAEL APARTHEID WEEK, By Michael Ignatieff, National Post, March 5, 2009
Action Points:
Be a voice! Write a letter to your University president, MP and newspaper letting them know where you stand on the issue. If your city has a school participating in IAW encourage them to discontinue Israeli Apartheid Week. If your city's University is not participating, re-inforce this decision by letting these key posts know you are in agreement.
Go one step further and send your letter to all the universities, whether they are in your city or not.
Download contact information now!