An End to Occupation, A Just Peace in Israel-Palestine:

The Role of Academia

June 18th and 19th, 2003

I. Background

Wars sometimes offer an opportunity for change, but often do so at the expense of the weak. This banal truth holds for Israeli-Palestinian affairs no less than for anything else. In the aftermath of the Iraq war, and faced with new and staggering forms of Israeli violence towards Palestinians in the occupied territories, we call on academics worldwide to join in an effort to make a difference. A number of times after WW-II, campuses have been pivotal in campaigning against violence, oppression and ethnic injustice. Can this be taken up again regarding Palestinians and Israelis?

II. Objectives

1. To learn about the current situation in Israel-Palestine and think together about the role of universities in opposing the violation of human rights in the occupied territories and in bringing an end to occupation.

2. To establish a working network worldwide to promote the mobilization of faculty and students, acting towards an immediate end of Israeli occupation and in support of a just Palestinian -Israeli peace.

III. Provisional Program — Wednesday, June 18th

Kess Hamishpat Hall- Law Building

Registration and coffee- 10.00-10.30

A. Opening Keynote Address: Developments in US policy in the Middle East with special reference to the Road Map for peace. 10.30-11.30

Robert Malley — Washington DC

B. Reports from Israeli Groups Active in the Occupied Territories: 11.30-13.30

Physicians for Human Rights

Ta’ayush

Betselem

Machsom Watch

Committee Against House Demolitions

Lunch break — 13.30-14.30

C. Mini symposium I: The problems involved in joint activities by Israeli and Palestinian academics. 14.30-16.00

Tamar Zelniker, Tel Aviv

Issam Nassar, Ramallah

Oren Yftach’el, Beer Sheva

Ghassan Abdullah, Ramallah

D. Keynote lecture: The Israeli policy in the occupied territories- A conceptual analysis. 16.00-17.00

Tanya Reinhart, Tel Aviv

E. Conference dinner — 19.00

Thursday, June 19th

Kess Hamishpat Hall- Law Building

Morning coffee- 9.00-9.30

F. Keynote lectures: The current situation in the occupied territories- 9.30-11.00

a. The Gaza Strip: Eyad el Sarraj, Gaza

b. The West Bank: Salim Tamari, Ramallah

G. Mini-symposium II: Academic boycott, divestment and other economic sanctions — 11.00-12.30

Rema Hamami, East Jerusalem

Ilan Pappe, Haifa

Eva Jablonka, Tel Aviv

Lawrence Davidson, West-Chester (Pennsylvania)

Neve Gordon, Beer Sheva

Lunch break 12.30-13.30

H. Action session: FFIPP and its scope: ideas, plans and the agenda for an Israeli branch- 13.30-14.30

Arnon Hadar, San Rafael

Anat Biletzki, Tel Aviv

Lev Grinberg, Beer Sheva

Yaakov Katriel, Haifa

I. Closing Keynote Address: The Middle East after the Iraq war. 14.30-15.30

Eric Rouleau, Paris

Closing coffee break

End of Conference

Technical Information

The conference will host and be hosted by the 2nd FFIPP delegation to Israel and the Occupied Territories. People outside of the Middle East who are interested in participating may join the FFIPP delegation (for details, see http://www.ffipp.org or write to Arnon Hadar)

Language: English

Fee:vThere is no participation fee.

Location: The conference will be held on the Tel Aviv University campus. The site is within easy reach from anywhere in the greater TA area.

Invitations: We recommend that international participants arrange a personal invitation from Israeli colleagues in their field. Those who can not arrange this via their own contacts are welcome to write to one of the TAU Organizers.

Permits: Palestinians wishing to participate and requiring a permit, please write to Uri Hadar.