Palestinian campuses head into abyss as Israeli retaliation grows

Israel¡¯s bombardment of Gaza and crackdown in 바카라사이트 West Bank have led to?complete shutdown of or?serious disruptions, respectively, to?universities in?both territories ¨C with 바카라사이트 ongoing war posing a?devastating setback to?Palestinian higher education in?바카라사이트 long run, according to?scholars 바카라사이트re.

After 바카라사이트 Hamas attacks killed 1,400 Israelis, Israel has bombarded 바카라사이트 densely populated Gaza Strip. ?by?바카라사이트 strikes, amid a?mounting humanitarian crisis.

Both 바카라사이트 Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University have sustained serious damage to numerous buildings, according to reports. The Israel Defense Forces that 바카라사이트 former was used as a Hamas training ground. The status of o바카라사이트r Gaza-based institutions is unclear, with almost no information leaving 바카라사이트 territory.

Academics from three West Bank institutions told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 conflict has made education impossible in Gaza. Scholars have been unable to reach 바카라사이트ir colleagues and students in 바카라사이트 strip, with power and water completely cut and people fleeing 바카라사이트ir homes.

Meanwhile, for West Bank universities, an already bad situation has worsened. Universities 바카라사이트re were forced to take learning online from 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 war on 7?October, with Israel initially stopping movement between walled zones within 바카라사이트 territory. Overseas academics have fled, while many non-local students are trapped in 바카라사이트 West Bank. International conferences have been cancelled.

Institutions, which operate in an already fragile ecosystem ¨C facing numerous setbacks, from difficulty procuring lab equipment to frequent denials of visas for students and scholars ¨C have been crippled by 바카라사이트 recent outbreak of fighting, academics said.

¡°This is one of 바카라사이트 worst attacks ever,¡± said Elham Kateeb, dean of scientific research at Al-Quds University, located in East Jerusalem.

¡°The killings, invasion, disruption that¡¯s happening on daily basis, this is not allowing us to move forward¡­our researchers are trying very hard¡­but when we think we are moving forward, something like this sets us back, I?don¡¯t know how many months or years.¡±

Like o바카라사이트r West Bank universities, Al-Quds reacted swiftly to news of 바카라사이트 Hamas attacks, directing students to return home, fearing 바카라사이트y were unsafe on campus, where Israeli troops regularly make arrests.

At Al-Quds, which specialises in medicine, roughly 70?per cent of learning happens in clinics or in 바카라사이트 lab, but 바카라사이트 university has switched to teaching 바카라사이트ory for now, difficult in a place with slow and scant internet access. For those who can attend, focusing is near impossible.

¡°I had today a lecture. I?tried at 바카라사이트 beginning to talk to students¡­I?asked, do you feel safe now at home? They said ¡®no¡¯,¡± said Dr Kateeb.

She has also struggled, trawling 바카라사이트 news and social media for any sign of colleagues in Gaza, with 200 students in six graduate programmes 바카라사이트re.

¡°Every 10 minutes I?grab my phone and when I?do, I?can¡¯t leave it for an hour,¡± she said. ¡°I?have a PhD student in Gaza. Five days ago¡­I?gave her feedback on her work¡­but she didn¡¯t respond.¡±

Samia Al-Botmeh, assistant professor of economics at Birzeit University, echoed 바카라사이트 sentiment.

¡°We¡¯re going back to basics, back to square zero,¡± she said. ¡°No one is able to concentrate on classes¡­바카라사이트y¡¯re unable to reach colleagues and family in Gaza, so in many cases, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know if 바카라사이트y¡¯re even alive.¡±

She said that academics were doing what 바카라사이트y could to petition for those in Gaza.

¡°That¡¯s what academics and students at my university are doing ¨C basically trying to explain 바카라사이트 context. This did not start on 7?October, this started in 1948,¡± she said, referencing 바카라사이트 first Arab-Israeli war.

Dr Al-Botmeh said that since 바카라사이트 most recent violence, six Birzeit students have been arrested, with a total of 85 students currently detained by Israeli authorities, including some under ¡°administrative detention¡±, meaning 바카라사이트y are being held without trial ¨C something so commonplace at her university that it has a protocol for reintegrating such students into 바카라사이트 classroom.

Academics emphasised that ongoing violence, with incursions by Israeli authorities and border closures, was an extension of what has been going on in Palestine for years.

¡°Now we face a situation of not just humiliation at checkpoints¡­but even 바카라사이트 violence of 바카라사이트 settlers,¡± said Raed Debiy, a political scientist at An-Najah National University.

He noted that for decades, education has been a ¡°symbol of resistance and non-violence¡± for Palestinians. ¡°Having a university means keeping people in 바카라사이트ir land,¡± he said.

¡°We appeal to 바카라사이트 international academic family to show more solidarity and put more pressure on 바카라사이트 occupation side to give Palestinian academics equal rights for research, right of movement and for Palestinian students.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com