Statement of Teachers Protesting the Israeli Invasion

We, as teachers, condemn the new Israeli attack on Palestinians in the West Bank and demand the end of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

We are inspired by the stand of Jose Bove and the hundreds of peace activists from Europe and the United States who have gone to Ramallah and other towns to block with their bodies the Israeli government's attempt to crush the Palestinian resistance and destroy the Palestinian National Authority headquarters.

We demand an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza because the campaign of terror which the population of the occupied territories is being subjected to--the break-ins in the houses of unarmed civilians, the mass arrests of Palestinian youth, the wanton destruction of property and of any symbol of Palestinian self-governance, including the summary execution of Palestinian officials, and the siege of Yasser Arafat's headquarters--are barbaric acts, condemned by international law, to which none of us can give his/her assent.

We are also convinced that this occupation has nothing to do with "the right of Israel to defend itself" nor can it be legitimized as a response to the suicide-bombings which, in recent weeks, have bloodied the streets of Israel. It has long been evident that no peace can come to Palestine and Israel until the legitimate demands of the Palestinians for the "right to return" and statehood are met and the Israeli politics of installing settlements into the occupied territories comes to an end. It has also been evident that the escalation in the means used by Palestinian organizations to achieve their objectives is a consequence of the lack of any effective international response to the Palestinians' just pleas and the Israeli government's refusal to implement any of the numerous UN resolutions calling for the end of its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

For decades, despite many "peace talks," nothing substantive has been done to address the plight of the Palestinians other than the fashioning of plans which guarantee that they will remain refugees in their own land. It seems now that even those "peace" agreements were too much for the Israeli government to concede--as demonstrated by Sharon's determination, from the time of his election, to ensure that none of the settlements should be dismantled and even more should be created on Palestinian land.

This is the root of the problem today in Palestine and no amount of force will succeed in destroying the resistance it has generated. Thus, what we can expect for the future is a constant state of war--more killings, more communities destroyed, and more invasions.
We cannot witness this torture of the Palestinian people in silence.

As teachers we have a right and a duty to speak clearly in times of crisis. This duty today comes down to (a) opposing the Israeli Government's violent denial of the Palestinians' human, civil, and even property rights; (b) opposing all foreign aid and arms exports to Israel, and (c) making a commitment to work with all people who are interested in seeing that a just resolution is implemented--so that a future can be built in which Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side with equal rights.

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Signatories of the Statement as of April 5. 2002. Institutional affiliation purely for identification purpose. If you wish to sign this statement, which will be sent to teachers' organization, the US and Israeli governments, please contact George Caffentzis at gcaffentzis

Abraham Margaret Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.)

Adas Jane Rutgers University

Adas, Michael Rutgers University

Alidou Ousseina Rutgers University (New Jersey)

Anderson S. E. Education Director- Center for Law & Social Practice,
Medagr Evers College- Brookyln, N.Y.

Assar Amardeep City University of New York

Barchiesi Franco University of Witswaterrand (SouthAfrica)

Benedict Darby Columbia University, Teachers College (new York) (student)

Bernofsky Susan Bard College (New York)

Caffentzis George University of Southern Maine

Chaichian Mohammad Mount Mercy College Cedar Rapids, IA

Colatrella, Steven Montclair University (New Jersey)
Connors Joanie V. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Cooper Doug Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV

Curran Hugh Lecturer Peace Studies Program University of Maine at Orono

De Angelis Massimo, University of East London (England)

De Freitas Greg Hofstra University (New York State)

Dibner Nina E.B.C. Bushwick High School for Public Service
Elias Karen Philadelphia University (Pennsylvania)

Faraclas Nick University of Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)

Glickman Gene Nassau Community College (retired)

Silvia Federici Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.)

Fuller Abigail A. Manchester College, North Manchester (IN)

Fleming, Jim CUNY at Hunter (New York)

Harman Susan Ed.D. California Coalition for Authentic Reform in Education

Herold Conrad Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY)

Hirji Karim F. UCLA School of Medicine

Larsen-Pusey Mary Ann Fresno Pacific University. Fresno, California

Linebaugh Peter University of Toledo (Ohio)

Mandel Bob (member)Oakland Education Association (OEA) Executive Board

Mazrui Alamin, Ohio State University at Columbus

Meyer Matt National Co-chair, Peace Studies Association/Consortium
on Peace Research, Education and Development

Messinger Eli, (former Prof.) New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York

Mwaria Cheryl Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.)

Newfield Marcia BMCC/CUNY & Long Island University

Rev. Dr. Nikitah Okembe-RA Imani James Madison University

O'Neill Anne (former California high school teacher, former AFT local representative) currently - MA Candidate, Korean Studies, University of Washington

Perkins Gregory Glendale Community College, Glendale, CA

Picher Marie-Claire College of Mount Saint Vincent/Manhattan College
Riverdale, New York

Preston Kelly Ann Beech Hill School, Otis, Maine

Robinson Flint Janette Black Women for Wellness Los Angeles CA

Sandoval Dolores University of Vermont, Burlington (VT)

Sari Mary George Washington High School Campus-New York City

Schmitt Laurie History, high school teacher, Beirut. Lebanon

Seguin Clare Lincoln Elementary School, Madison (Wisconsin)

Starr Meg former director, Touro College Model Day Care Center
(N.Y.)

Uccelli, Juliet teacher (New York)

Tewksbury Gregory Lang College, New School University (N.Y.)

Zacharias Usha Westfield State College.

Zanini, Adelino Director, Philosophy Seminar. Padova University (Italy)

Wickstrom Stefanie Central Washington University

Wilde Dana University of Maine