Right to Education Lauds Edinburgh University BDS Resolution

The Right to Education Campaign-Birzeit University represented by its student body, issued the following statement in response to Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) decision to implement the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) motion.“Edinburgh University Students’ Association supporting the Palestinian people’s right to freedom and justice has taken impressive step by passing the BDS. We at the Right to Education Campaign are honored to be affiliated with EUSA.”The statement emphasized the legal and moral reasons why EUSA should hold fast to its decision.“We believe that education is the cornerstone for positive social change. It helps people become productive members in their community and drives them to stand up for their rights and the rights of others, to challenge inequality and obstacles towards freedom. Education is a mean to end conflicts and to embrace the fundamental dignity intrinsic to the human spirit.The Israeli Occupation practices all kinds of systematic measures against our right to education as Palestinians; both direct and indirect practices of violations. On one hand, the direct violations are clear in their frequent closures of cities, hundreds of military roadblocks and the construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall, which all prevent thousands of students and teachers from moving and reaching their schools or universities. Furthermore, Palestinian academic entities have been raided and attacked by Israeli forces, which happens to be within the scope of an Israeli systematic scheme designed to eradicate the Palestinian identity and preventing younger generations from attaining their fundamental, natural right of education.Israel, which controls all borders, has also banned the introduction of a number of books and educational materials to the West Bank and Gaza. It has also forbade Palestinian and foreign professors who live abroad from entering Palestine for no longer than three months; the duration of a tourist visa.On the other hand, invisible violations can be seen in the changing of the content of Palestinian text books to serve Israel’s interest and affect the youth’s point of view about the Palestinian cause.”According to the statement, Right to Education underscored that education is a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. “It is the responsibility of governments, organizations and ordinary people to defend the universal right to education and to demand its realization.” At the end of the statement, the Right to Education campaign urged EUSA not to bow to pressure to reverse its principled stand.