The Arab, Egyptian and Palestinian Societies held a silent protest on the concourse of the SU this afternoon in an attempt to raise awareness about the current ongoing situation between Israel and Palestine.
Around 50 people attended the protest, which was organised on Tuesday. The protestors unfurled a banner reading “Stop Arming Israel” and held placards aloft which said “Apartheid Off Campus”, “Divest For Palestine” and “Bring Back Palestine”, among others.
They are also calling on the University to divest from companies who “help to fund Israel”.
Literature the protesters were handing out encouraged people boycott Israeli goods in order to “Help bring down Israeli apartheid” as “Boycott helped bring down South African apartheid”.
They claim that “Israel military controls every aspect of Palestine life in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem” and that “Since 1948, UN Resolutions have not resulted in any progress for the Palestinian refugees and those in the Occupied Territories. World governments have done nothing so the people must act.”
Protestors were also wearing eye patches over one eye to stand in solidarity Muath Amarneh, a Palestinian videographer who was shot with live ammunition in one eye by Israeli snipers while covering protests in Surif village near Hebron earlier this week.
Yazan Khader, President of Palestine Society said: “We are here today in joint collaboration with the Arab, Egyptian and Hallam Palestine Societies to stand against the ongoing massacres and the constant bombardment of the Gaza Strip open-air prison by the apartheid state of Israel.
“We are here demanding accountability and for the international community to take action against Israel, and to demand our fundamental human rights to be recognised.
“Over 34 Palestinians have died in the recent attacks, from children and women in Gaza to journalists and peaceful student demonstrators in West Bank.
“We are here wearing eye patches on one eye in Solidarity with Muath Awarmeh, a journalist who has been blinded in one eye for documenting and exposing the IDF.”
