The Gaza Conflict Reaches Home: Demonstrations at the University of Birmingham
Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 12:50 
Extraordinary events, in the context of the recent history of the University of Birmingham, in the last 48 hours....
On Tuesday afternoon, a group of students protesting the Israeli invasion of Gaza ---- I was told there were more than 40 --- occupied a lecture room, hanging a banner on the balcony overlooking the University Quadrangle. A detailed statement by the students condemned both the Israeli military offensive and the firing of rockets into Israel and emphasised:
We are acting in solidarity with Palestinian students whose right to education is being denied by the current conflict (both directly and as a consequence of a) the killing and injuring of hundreds of students, teachers, and other workers associated with education in Gaza during Israel’s military operation; b) the deliberate targetting and destruction of university buildings, the destruction of schools, the ministry of education, and other educational infrastructure in Gaza as part of Israel’s military operation; c) the conditions of the illegal occupation enforced by the Israeli military and supported by the political and military leaders of the state of Israel within the illegally occupied Palestinian territories, which includes deliberate strategies to restrict the movement of students and generally disrupt education within the territories.
The demonstration turned into a mini-standoff with police before University officials and students reached an agreement. Under that agreement, the Vice-Chancellor of the University is meeting student representatives today to hear their petition and a list of nine points for action, which includes a public discussion of the issues surrounding the Gaza conflict. As I write, there are two demonstrations involving, according to one of our readers, about 250 students.
This may not seem much, both in the context of Gaza events and the size of other protests, but Birmingham has not had a significant student demonstration since the 2003 Iraq War and has not had an occupation since I started here in 1989.
Reader Comments (5)
Wow. I'm overwhelmed. I wonder if by taking over a small room in a redbrick university in the west midlands they managed to get Ehud Olmerts attention. I bet he's glued to his seat with a white cat (a la Bond Villian) patiently contemplating his next move. Whatever will he do?
With enemies like this, who needs Hizbollah?
Macdougal, re: your above post and the post you made on the "Latest From Israel-Palestine-Gaza 23rd January" thread, where you asked for suggestions of places for you to boycott: boycotting this website would be a nice start...
What an enlightening response. So because you disagree with me questioning the validity of boycotting Israeli academics or the usefulness of demonstrations, you think I should leave the discussion. Doesn’t that just play into my point: lets boycott everyone who may disagree with our own viewpoint- then we would never have to engage, discuss or deconstruct any of our own assumptions. This site puts a lot of energy into demolishing the provocative right wing analysis- which is great- but some other equally wild analysis just seems to get a total pass. It’s interesting that you feel the need to reject me from the discussion and yet you haven’t raised an eyebrow at Mo’s comments about the “racist, apartheid” justifier Obama who “stands far below Amahdenijad” in the relative morality stakes (however that is academically measurable?)
As for the boycott issue, there are so many questions to be raised, such as- would these create an effective and positive change? Or why single Israel out? A prominent Palestinian academic, president of Al-Quds University, Sari Nusseibeh, has argued against academic boycotts of Israel, stating “If we are to look at Israeli society, it is within the academic community that we've had the most progressive pro-peace views and views that have come out in favor of seeing us as equals... If you want to punish any sector, this is the last one to approach.” But what’s the point in discussing these points with you Rob, as you simply want new discussants that confirm your own preconceptions and avoid any debate which might just challenge you. Satirical or not.
Macdougal, you did not lay out a cogent argument as to why sanctions/boycotts would be ineffective, you made a carping, satirical comment. If you wish to do so, I'm more than happy to discuss it with you; but please save the sound bites for somewhere else, and rein in your persecution complex.
Why censure academics and academic institutions? Why should/would academia want to censure itself? It doesn't make any sense to me.