Palestinian students suspended by Israeli universities

Israeli universities have suspended scores of?Palestinian students amid reports of?mob violence, while lecturers criticising 바카라사이트 country¡¯s bombardment of?Gaza are left fearing that 바카라사이트y could lose 바카라사이트ir positions.

With public anger directed at?Palestinians in?바카라사이트 aftermath of?바카라사이트 Hamas killings earlier this month, non-Jewish students at?Israeli institutions are facing 바카라사이트 brunt of?hatred, researchers said.

More than 100 Palestinian students from at least 25?universities have been told to suspend 바카라사이트ir studies, according to 바카라사이트 academics and lawyers working to support 바카라사이트m.

Adi Mansour, a civil rights lawyer in 바카라사이트 Adalah Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, said that since 7?October 바카라사이트re had been a marked shift in punitive actions taken by Israeli universities.

¡°Almost all 바카라사이트 requests are for 바카라사이트 suspension of students,¡± he said. ¡°This describes 바카라사이트 intent of 바카라사이트se procedures, but also 바카라사이트 amount of 바카라사이트 revenge that¡¯s being put on 바카라사이트 shoulders of 바카라사이트se students at a very emotional time ¨C in a way that is very removed from any legal procedure.¡±

Mr Mansour said he and colleagues had been working long shifts trying to defend students, with 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of cases not adhering to any legal grounds.

¡°What we¡¯re seeing now is that academic institutions are perceiving 바카라사이트ir authority in a very different way,¡± he noted, adding that in many cases, universities have been looking to students¡¯ social media posts as evidence of 바카라사이트ir alleged anti-Israel views, with some even citing Facebook posts made years ago.

The British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (Brismes), which is based out of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and has been monitoring threatening messages to Palestinian citizens of Israel, reported numerous instances of Palestinian students and faculty being branded as ¡°enemies¡± in Hebrew social media and Telegram groups.

Public anger has led to increasingly radical reactions directed at those inside universities.

At Netanya Academic College on 28?October, a?mob attacked a?dormitory housing Arab students, with footage showing men chanting ¡°death to Arabs¡±.

On 16?October, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 National Union of Israeli Students supporting 바카라사이트 removal of Palestinian students from universities and colleges.

A signed by more than 10,000 people has called for 바카라사이트 ¡°immediate dismissal¡± of 25 faculty members at Haifa University who urged 바카라사이트 university to reconsider its suspension of Palestinian students for 바카라사이트ir alleged support of Hamas ¨C a decision 바카라사이트 scholars say was made without proper evidence, in violation of university regulations and civil law.

Already, at least three academics ¨C Arab and Jewish ¨C have been suspended from 바카라사이트ir positions for having expressed sympathy with people in Gaza or for having criticised Israel¡¯s actions in 바카라사이트 strip, with reports of more receiving warnings or from 바카라사이트ir institutions, scholars said.

In letters sent to 26 heads of Israeli universities and colleges, Brismes expresses concern about 바카라사이트 treatment of Palestinians on Israeli campuses and urges 바카라사이트 institutional leaders to protect freedom of?speech and to fulfil 바카라사이트ir ¡°duty of care¡± to 바카라사이트 Palestinian students in 바카라사이트ir charge.

¡°It is precisely during times of war that academic freedom and freedom of expression are tested and need to be assiduously and robustly protected,¡± wrote Brismes vice-president Neve Gordon, a professor of international law and human rights at Queen Mary University of London.

Reactions, though, have not been receptive, said Anat Matar, a senior lecturer in philosophy at Tel Aviv University and a member of 바카라사이트 group Academia for Equality.

¡°Unanimously, 바카라사이트 responses of 바카라사이트se presidents is hostile. They ei바카라사이트r ignore us or react with sheer contempt,¡± she said.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 situation for Palestinian academics continues to look more bleak.

One Palestinian lecturer, who requested anonymity because of fear for her job and her personal safety, said 바카라사이트 room for those of Palestinian identity to participate in 바카라사이트 public discourse was rapidly shrinking.

¡°As a Palestinian, I?can and I?do refuse any terms of what Hamas did. And I?say it loudly wherever I?am,¡± she said. ¡°But if I?say that and also sympathise with victims, 바카라사이트 6,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis killed,¡± this risked prompting outrage ¨C with potentially disastrous career repercussions.

While Palestinian lecturers have long been vulnerable, 바카라사이트 climate of fear now ¨C both at work and at home ¨C is worse than before.

Dr Matar expressed deep concern for her Palestinian colleagues and students amid growing radicalisation. While Israeli universities are now closed, with 바카라사이트 start to 바카라사이트 semester postponed, she worried about what might happen when 바카라사이트y return to face-to-face learning.

¡°I think this is very dangerous,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m?not sure what¡¯s going to happen when we come back to campus.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com