Office of the Registrar

To our Oregon State Community,

We condemn the violence and attacks against the Palestinian people by the Israeli armed forces. Following the Humans Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights organization B’tselem, we must call this systemic discrimination and the violence what it is, an Apartheid. This is colonialism, this is ethnic cleansing, this is state-sanctioned violence, this is Zionism. We stand for liberation and justice for the people of Palestine.

Gaza is one of the world’s biggest open-air prisons with more than 50 years of occupation and 10 years of blockade and has made life unbearable for the 1.9 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. We must acknowledge the long history of oppression of the Palestinian people. During the Nakba or the “catastrophe” in 1948, two-thirds of the Palestinian population was violently uprooted for the creation of the State of Israel. Over 500 villages and towns were destroyed in an attempt to erase Palestinian history and culture. Today, over 7 million Palestinian refugees across the world and are denied access to their indigenous homeland.

The United States is complicit in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. In total, the U.S. provides 3.8 billion dollars per year in military funding to Israel. 735 million dollars went to bombs dropped on Gaza, bombs made by U.S. manufacturing companies Boeing and General Dynamics. United States taxpayer dollars are paying for the bombs dropped on Gaza, backing a criminal assault on Palestinians with nowhere to flee or safety. Israel uses this aid to maintain an oppressive occupation over Palestinians which entails home demolitions, torture of children, land theft, the killing of demonstrators, and the bombing of civilians. United States taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund human rights violations, especially the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

The time is now and always to stand with and for Palestine, Palestinians, and Palestinian students. To continue to support Palestinians, donate to organizations like the IMEU- the Institute for Middle East Understanding which provides journalistic facts, analysis, experts, and digital resources about Palestine and Palestinians. MAP- Medical Aid for Palestinians works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation as refugees. They provide immediate medical aid to those in need. Human Concern- a nonprofit providing medical assistance, food packs, home repair, and temporary shelter in Gaza and Palestine. Contact your state representatives and tell them your contempt for Israel’s apartheid crimes and demand the U.S to stop funding the Israeli Military illegal and inhuman colonization of Palestine. To our Palestinian community, we see you, we support you, and we are here for you.

Free Palestine

Sources: @theimeu

@soyouwanttotalkabout

According to the IMEU, the language that they suggest we use:

Clashes → Colonialism

Conflict → Apartheid

Both sides-state →  sanctioned violence

Ebado Abdi                                                            Leah Rietema

ASOSU Director of Diversity Initiatives                            ASOSU Chief of Staff

   [email protected]                 [email protected]

            Isabel Nuñez Perez                                                        Metzin Rodriguez

  2020-2021 ASOSU President                                2020-2021 ASOSU Vice President

 [email protected]                                  [email protected]