please click the banner
join the Oxfam campaignFAQfrom NAKBA to "radical" Renaissance - من النكبة الى النهضة الذاتية الجذريةPalestinian Brain Application - Project - مبادرة مشروع "تطبيق الدماغ الفلسطيني

Hebrew University in Jerusalem Denies Freedom of Expression to Chair of Palestinian Student Unionhelp Ali in his brave nonviolent resistance:
[HEBREW VERSION: http://www.atzuma.co.il/petition/freespeech2008/1/]
To: Professor Menachem Megidor, President of the Hebrew University
Professor Esther Shami, Dean of Students, Hebrew University
CC: Mr. Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel
Dear Sir and Madame,
In early November, Ali Baher, Chairman of the Arab Students Committee at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was detained for three hours, questioned, summoned to a hearing pending suspension, and evicted from his dorm room - all for refusing to shake hands with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Ali was studying in the university library when the president walked in and began shaking hands with the students. Ali refused to shake Peres's hand, accusing him of being a "child killer". Ali also reminded the president of the infamous Israeli shelling of a UN compound in Qana, Lebanon, in 1996, under Peres's premiership.
Immediately upon the president's departure, Ali was detained by security guards and questioned for three hours. The next day, his dormitory room on was broken into. After he filed a complaint with the university authorities, he was told that his dorm contract was terminated, and that he was to evict his room by Tuesday, November 11th.
We believe that while Ali's behavior may have been unpleasant, it falls firmly within the idea of free speech and free expression. We believe that the shameful treatment is first and foremost a political persecution, stemming from a desire to silence the leading advocate for the rights of Arab students on campus.
We demand that Ali's student card be restored, his dorms contract reinstated, and all proceedings against him will be stopped. We also demand that the University apologizes to Ali for this gross impingement of his freedom and dignity, and that the incident be struck off from his disciplinary and academic record.
We also demand that the President of Israel - publicly and ostensibly committed to democratic and liberal values - make clear his position on this outrage.
Best wishes and anticipating your swift reply, please sign the petition
Comment Wall (23 comments)
You need to be a member of mepeace.org to add comments!
Join this social network
I am a Palestinian Arab from Hizmeh, a village between Jerusalem and Ramallah. When I was 15 years old I fought against the Israeli Occupation in search of freedom. At that time I thought every Jewish person, whether soldier or citizen, man or woman, young or old, should be killed. I rejected the right for any Jew to live and every Jew was a target. I was just a kid, believe me, and I didn’t understand anything about politics or the Arab-Israeli conflict. I was arrested and sat in jail for 12 years. This was during the first intifada from 1987. At that time nobody talked about peace but only of violence. I matured during my time in jail. I started studying and reading books on politics, literature, poetry, and about the Madrid Conference.
It gave me hope to live in peace and dignity. I learned that violence only breeds violence and that peace is the only solution for the two nations, the only way for both to have a respectful and beautiful future. We live on the same land. We are neighbors. We drink the same water and both pray to a monotheistic God. We must live in peace on the basis of religion for God and land for everyone.

Hi Davinci, Thank you for being my friend.Love and peace. Greetings: Thea
check this out: Amira Hass returns to Gaza after a two-year absence
Glad to meet another activist on here!
How did you become interested in the situation?
Take Care
Stephanie :)

This world needs more Love,& tolerance
Frizzey
- don´t miss my crazy world - welcome in the globe of peace.
HELLO
Peaceful greetings from Sweden
I invite you to comment here: Humans in Wolves clothing - how do you envision shared future which doesn't exclude anybody.
View All Comments