I read with interest a March 1, 2013, article about the student groups discussing conflicts in the Middle East, “Student groups hold roundtable to discuss conflicts in the Middle East,” despite the fact that there was no mention of any alternative to the pro-Israeli perspective.
Such a discussion comes at an interesting time when two weeks ago the United States honored Rosa Parks, and just last week Israel announces segregated buses.
President Barack Obama dedicated a statue of Rosa Parks in the U.S. Capitol Building while the Israeli Transportation Ministry initiated a plan to create segregated Palestinian-only buses in the occupied territories following a request from Israeli settlers.
Israel’s continued apartheid policies against the Palestinian people goes against any shared American value. It’s disappointing that the largest recipient of U.S. taxpayer aid, Israel, continues to adopt Jim Crow-like polices with impunity from its American donor. It’s up to students like us to unilaterally adopt boycott, divestment and sanction strategies against Apartheid Israel just as the world did when it brought the end of Apartheid South Africa.
I encourage fellow Penn Staters to attend the campus event this week hosting former Irish President Mary Robinson, who has a long record of service as a human rights advocate. President Robinson has spoken up about the plight of the Palestinians who live under the illegal military and apartheid occupation of Israel. As a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Robinson stands as a wonderful voice against torture, persecution and apartheid.
Shadi Ghrayep
graduate - engineering
