This summer, the Israeli Defense Forces invaded Gaza in a 51-day offensive, resulting in the deaths of 1,473 Palestinian civilians, 501 of whom were children. Additionally, 11,000 were wounded and up to an estimated 500,000 were forced to leave their homes, according to UN estimates. This is the most recent violent episode of the ongoing occupation of the Palestinian people. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world in cities like London, New York, Chicago and even here in Madison, staged rallies in response to this atrocity.
Why should students care? What makes student organizing so crucial is its place on college campuses, the frontlines of intellectual thought. But too many Americans, in particular too many students, consider Israel’s military occupation of Palestine an issue separate from their lives. They see it as one that is too distant or too controversial to tap into and too complicated to unravel for themselves. This couldn’t be further from reality.
For one, American tax dollars directly fund Israel’s illegal (according to international law) military occupation of Palestinian territories. Many universities, including University of Wisconsin, invest in companies that facilitate Israel’s human rights abuses against the Palestinian people. This makes each and every one of us as students directly connected to these crimes, whether or not we choose to admit it.
What can students at UW do to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people? Students for Justice in Palestine invites students to join and learn more about the conflict and its history, the role the United States government continues to play and the growing international movements against the occupation and war.
They are part of a fast-growing network of campus organizations, with chapters all over the United States from San Francisco to New York. In 2011, Columbia University SJP made history, hosting the first National SJP Conference. The conference served as a springboard for newly formed chapters and added fuel to new victories that were made throughout the year. The development of a national network of SJP chapters has helped galvanize students, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and excitement.
In Madison, SJP meets weekly Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the Lakefront on Langdon. This semester they will read and discuss The Battle for Justice in Palestine by Ali Abunimah and build a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign in Madison. SJP are also co-sponsoring a dynamic conference featuring world-renowned speakers and performers covering BDS, the U.S. role, and how to organize for peace and justice, Nov. 7 and 8 at the Pyle Center.
The conference is quickly approaching, so don’t miss your chance to hear speakers like Ali Abunimah, Cecilie Surasky of Jewish Voice for Peace, Fida Qishta and her groundbreaking Gaza film “Where Should the Birds Fly?,” and more.
There will also be great workshops on topics like liberation theology in the Holy Land, non-violence and conflict transformation, Israeli military detention of children, BDS, debating whether Israel is an Apartheid state, Christian Zionism, responding to pro-Israeli propaganda, organizing on campus, the rise of ISIS and more.
A Palestinian Cultural Evening, to be held Friday Nov. 7, will feature spoken word artist Remi Kanazi and the Milwaukee-based folk dancing group, Debke. The cultural night is free and open to the public!
If you are interested in participating or learning more, contact SJP at THE WIN page. Or you can look up Students for Justice in Palestine (UW) on Facebook for more details on the conference!
