Greetings from Palestine.

We wish to express our full support of the decision made by delegates of your organization on the 22nd of April to launch immediate boycotts of Haifa and Bar-Ilan Universities, and to disseminate to all Union branches for further consideration the “Call for Boycott of Israeli academic institutions”.

The motion passed by your organization marks an historic moment in the global movement to isolate Apartheid Israel as a means of forging effective solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, self-determination and sovereignty. We appreciate the efforts of the Union in following the groundswell of popular sentiment throughout civil society in Palestine advocating comprehensive boycotts, sanctions and divestment of Israel.

As you are aware Israel continues to flout international law and imposes the most brutal military occupation on the Palestinian people. On a daily basis this occupation steals our land and ghettoizes us behind Walls in a project aimed at the expulsion of Palestinians from their land.

We thus welcome your initiative as an important move of solidarity with us in our struggle, and we urge you to broaden the boycott until it is comprehensive of all Israeli academic institutions. Do not be deterred in your efforts by those whose opposition to your decision only legitimates and enhances the injustice and brutality of the occupation. Please continue to gain inspiration from the Palestinian people struggling for their land and liberation at this challenging juncture.

Signatories:

Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign - www.stopthewall.org - which includes support from the following committees and organizations:

54 popular committees represented by the 8 district committees:
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Jenin
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Tulkarem
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Qalqiliya
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Ramallah
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of North-West Jerusalem
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of East Jerusalem
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of Bethlehem
Popular Committee to Resist the Apartheid Wall of the Jordan Valley

Pengon (Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network), representing:
Al-Ard Society for Environmental Awareness and Protection
Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ)
The Center for Agricultural Services (TCAS)
The Center for Development in Primary Health Care (CDPHC)- Al Quds University
Institute of Water Studies, Birzeit University
Development and Environment Association-Baladna Cultural Center
Land Research Center (LRC)
LAW-The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
The Local Committee for the Protection of the Environment
MA’AN Development Center
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees
The Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange (PACE)
Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)
Roads and Environmental Safety Center (RESC)
The Society for Environmental Protection
Union of Agricultural Work Committees(UAWC)
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
Water and Environment Department-Ramallah Municipality
Water and Soil Environmental Research Unit (WSERU), Bethlehem University
Water and Environmental Studies Center (WESC)
Wildlife Palestine Society (WLPS)
Further participating civil society organizations:
Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC)
Farmers Union,
YMCA/YWCA
Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid
PACBI- Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott Initiative which includes support from:
Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities’ Professors and Employees
Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) which includes support from the following organizations:
Ad-Dameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association (Ramallah)
Ad-Dameer Association for Human Rights (Gaza)
A-Hanan Benevolent Association for Mother & Child
Al-Haq Institute
Al-Huda Development Society
Al-Karmel Cultural Center
Al-Maghazi Cultural Center
Al-Majd Women’s Association
Al-Manhal Woman and Child Cultural Center
Al-Mawrid Teacher Development Center
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
Al-Najda Social Association
Al-Taghreed Society for Culture and Art
Al-Wafa Elderly Nursing Home
Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ)
Arab Center for Agricultural Development (ACAD)
Arab Thought Forum (ATF)
Ashtar for Theatre Production and Training
Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children
Atta’ Services to the Aged
Bisan Center for Research & Development
Care for Children with Special Needs
Central Blood Bank Society
Child Care & Maternal Guidance Society
Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA)
Dar As-Salam Hospital
Defence for Children International (DCI)
Early Childhood Resource Center- Children’s Rights (ECRC)
Educational Development Center
Educational Network Center
First Ramallah Group (FRG)
Guidance and Training Center for the Child and Family
Halhul Cultural Forum
Health, Development, Information & Policy Institute (HDIP)
Health Work Committees (HWC)
Human Developmental Association
Jabalia Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped
Jerusalem Legal Aid & Human Rights Center (JLAC)
Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center
Khuza’a Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Land Defense General Committee-Palestine
Land Research Center (LRC)
Ma’an Development Center
Maqassed Charitable Islamic Society
Muwatin: The Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy
Palestinian Agricultural Development Association (PARC)
Palestinian Agricultural Society
Palestinian Association for Credit & Development (FATEN)
Palestinian Association for Development and Reconstruction (PADR)
Palestinian Business Women’s Association (ASALA)
Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy (PCPD)
Palestinian Diaspora & Refugee Center (Shaml)
Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association
Palestinian Society for Consumer Protection
Palestinian Women’s Union
PANORAMA - Palestinian Center for the Dissemination of Democracy and Community Development
Popular Art Center
Project Loving Care Society
Public Service Society
Rawdat Az-Zuhur Society
Red Crescent Society (Gaza)
Remedial Education Center
Sabreen Association for Artistic Development
Science & Cultural Center
Tamer Institute for Community Education
Teacher Creativity Center (TCC)
Thalassemia Patients’ Friendship Society
The Arab Society for Orphans
The Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center
The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme
The Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC)
The National Society for Rehabilitation
The Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
The Palestinian Center for Microprojects & Development (PCMD)
The Palestinian Counseling Center (PCC)
The Palestinian Hydrology Group (PHG)
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy (Miftah)
The Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD)
The Women and Family Affairs Center
The Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC)
Treatment & Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC)
Union of Health Work Committees Gaza (UHWC)
Union of Palestinian Farmers
Union of Palestinian Handicapped
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
Women’s Affairs Center
Women’s Studies Center
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
OPGAI - Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative, which includes support from the following organizations:
YMCA East-Jerusalem
Palestinian Grassroots Anti Apartheid Wall Campaign
YWCA -Palestine
Alternative Tourism Group
Golan for Development
Badil Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
Jerusalem Centre for Women
Environmental Education Centre
Ibdaa

Further civil society organizations and individuals:
Saraya Centre for Community Service
Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists
EINA- the center for families and friends of children with cance
Arab Educational Institute - Open Windows Bethlehem/Palestine (Affiliated to Pax Christi International)
Dr. Bishara Elias Awad, President, Bethlehem Bible College
The Holyland Trust
Palestinian Vision

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