From: Ismail Zayid [mailto:izayid@eastlink.ca]
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 4:47 PM
To: CUPE Ontario. (cupeont@web.net)
Subject: Thank you for you principled stand.
P.O.Box, 1085.
Dear
Mr. Sid Ryan and Ms. Janice Folk-Dawson:
Thank
you for your principled stand in support of the basic human rights of the
Palestinian people and their right to education and academic freedom.
The
oppressive practices of the Israeli authorities against the Palestinian people,
denying them all elemental principles of human rights, and applying restrictive
practices against their schools and universities, are elements of racism,
identical with the notorious Apartheid practices that were encountered in
the abolished Apartheid regime in South Africa. Many renowned authorities, like
Archbishop Desmund Tutu and a number of Israeli
intellectuals and human rights activists, have described the Israeli practices
as even worse than those that were developed in
Furthermore,
it is sad and disappointing to point out that many Israeli academicians and
universities collaborate with the Israeli governmental authorities in these
illegal and inhumane activities or display a deafening silence in relation to
the brutal practices of Israel in their illegal occupation of Palestinian
territories and the denial of academic freedom to Palestinian academic
institutions, not to mention the recent deliberate bombardment and destruction
of the Gaza university.
Finally,
we wish to express our gratitude for your courage and humanity in standing
firmly with a basic principle of justice. Your stand, unlike that of some
academic centres in
Yours
sincerely,
President,