I read with interest the letter by Shamuel Afani, "Action is required in Israel as was during Apartheid" (July 23), discussing Israel's violations of human rights and international law and advocating a boycott. The Israeli government has established in the occupied Palestinian territories a regime of systematic discrimination. Nobel laureates such as former President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, just to name a few, have compared Israel's practices to those of the former racist apartheid regime in South Africa. As long as Israel continues to confiscate land, any peace agreement between Israel and Palestine will be impossible.

Israel's systematic apartheid practices, which base a person's rights on national origin, is a fundamental violation of human rights, as reported by mainstream and well respected human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and B'tselem.

Therefore, it is important for Penn State to divest from Israel until it adheres to human rights and international law. Penn State must consider divestment from institutions in Israel that profit from the obstacles to a just peace in Palestine and Israel. If President Spanier and the Board of Trustees refuse to pursue a divestment and boycott campaign they will be subordinating the pursuit of justice for the pursuit of fundraising.

Sammy Haddad

graduate-engineering