Over 1600 North American professors condemn scholasticide in Gaza
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The letter further voiced complete opposition to "Israel's" genocidal campaign and accuses the regime of perpetrating war crimes against educational institutions and civilians.
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The heavily damaged building of Al-Azhar University, Gaza City, February 15, 2024 (AFP)
More than 1600 university professors from over 270 institutions across North America have united in condemning "scholasticide" in Gaza, a term term referring to school massacres.
According to a joint letter, the professors "condemn Israel’s systematic attacks on educational life in Gaza" and the destruction or damage inflicted upon all 12 universities since the onset of the war.
"All 12 universities in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged. The International Monetary Fund estimates that the war on Gaza has cost the education sector $720 million," the letter reads.
The letter further voiced complete opposition to "Israel's" genocidal campaign and accused the regime of perpetrating war crimes against educational institutions and civilians.
It specifically points to deliberate and indiscriminate killings of teachers and students, noting that such actions constitute a grave violation of human rights and international law.
Let's get to at least 2000 (c = 1758) signatures: OPEN LETTER FROM NORTH AMERICAN ACADEMICS CONDEMNING SCHOLASTICIDE IN GAZA https://t.co/NdKnMwmuu8
— Anthony Fenton (@anthonyfenton) April 9, 2024
Read more: UN: 30% of schools in Gaza directly bombed by IOF
"As an occupying power, Israel’s targeting of Palestinian educational institutions, staff and students violates the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 relating to the protection of civilians in times of war," the letter reads.
"As a more general matter, international humanitarian law strictly prohibits attacks directed against civilian objects (including education facilities) and civilians (including teachers and students) and requires that states take all feasible precautions to avoid or minimize harm to both civilians and civilian objects," it added, noting that attacks on educational infrastructure "can constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court."
The letter further notes that the widespread and intentional destruction of educational infrastructure serves as a tool of collective punishment against the Palestinian population. It calls for immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis and to uphold the rights of the affected communities.
Among the demands outlined in the letter are an urgent and lasting ceasefire, the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza to facilitate the flow of essential services and humanitarian aid, and the provision of financial support for the reconstruction of the education system in Gaza.
The professors also advocate for the immediate renewal of funding and financial assistance to UNRWA to support its crucial humanitarian work in the region.
Read more: 94 uni professors, 100s teachers, 1000s students killed by 'Israel'
The Israeli regime alleges that academic and medical institutions are utilized by resistance fighters to serve as Hamas military bases. These claims serve a strategic purpose to further "Israel's" genocidal agenda in the Strip.
Besides the destruction of educational institutions, cultural and historical properties have also been subject to systematic targeting.
A January report by the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs revealed that Israeli forces destroyed over 1,000 mosques and desecrated dozens of cemeteries in their ongoing genocidal aggression.
More than 1,000 out of 1,200 mosques have been razed, with an estimated reconstruction cost of $500 million.
The ministry further reported the destruction of churches, including the historic Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, Zakat religious committees, Quran-teaching schools, and the headquarters of the Islamic Endowment Bank.
