The repeated imprisonment of the respected Palestinian astrophysicist Professor Imad Barghouthi, of Al-Quds University, has caused dismay in the international academic community. As a result a letter outlining both the abusive use of the Israeli legal system against him, and the wider pattern of Israeli restrictions on Palestinian academic freedom, was submitted to Nature. The letter was signed by 14 scientists, including leading physicist Freeman Dyson at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton; David Mumford, recipient of the Fields Medal 1974 (the “Nobel prize of math”); and Chandler Davis, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the University of Toronto.
Nature shortened the submitted letter drastically, omitting entirely the context of Israeli assaults on Palestinian higher education. What follows is, first, the letter as printed in Nature; and second, the text of the original letter.
Two open letters on behalf of Professor Barghouthi, signed by hundreds of scientists, were previously sent to the Israeli prime minister->http://www.csun.edu/ vcmth00m/IBletter.html] and to the [European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation.
Politics: Israel must release Palestinian physicist
Nature 535, 231 (14 July 2016) doi:10.1038/535231a
On 24 April, the distinguished Palestinian astrophysicist Imad Ahmad Barghouthi was arrested and detained without charge by the Israeli military — for the second time in less than 18 months (see Nature http://doi.org/bk44; 2016). We protest against his imprisonment and renew the call for his release.
Once again, it was alleged that Barghouthi made statements on Facebook and on television in opposition to Israeli military attacks and occupation. Subsequent international pressure again contributed to a ruling by the military court of appeals a month later for his release (see go.nature.com/299v9nd). This has not happened. Barghouthi has instead been transferred to a facility run by Israel’s internal security service, Shin Bet, for further interrogation.
Ahmed Abbes, CNRS and IHES, Paris,France.
Jean Bricmont, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
Chandler Davis, University of Toronto, Canada.
Freeman Dyson, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA.
Ivar Ekeland, Université Paris-Dauphine, France
Michael Harris, Columbia University, New York, USA.
David Klein, California State University, Northridge, USA.
Robert S. MacKay, University of Warwick, UK.
Mario Martone, University of Cincinnati, USA.
David Mumford, Brown University, Providence, USA.
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Vincent Rivasseau, Université Paris-Sud, France.
Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics, UK.
Alan Sokal, New York University, USA; and University College London, UK.
The text of the original letter submitted to Nature :
For academic freedom and the right to education in Palestine
A year and a half ago Nature reported on the first arrest and detention of Palestinian astrophysicist, Imad Barghouthi. En route to a meeting of the Arab Union of Astronomy and Space Sciences, he was arrested and interrogated under Israel’s administration detention policy because of statements he made on Facebook and television in opposition to Israeli military attacks and occupation. Under Israel’s policy of administrative detention, prisoners may be held without charge, in violation of international law. About 7,000 Palestinians are currently in Israeli prisons, with more than one in 10 in administrative detention.
International pressure contributed to Dr. Barghouthi’s release from that arrest, but he was subsequently arrested on April 24, 2016 under administrative detention, again without charge, and again based on Facebook posts he made in opposition to Israeli militarism. Subsequent international pressure again contributed to a ruling, a month later, by the military court of appeals for his release. The prosecutor had unsuccessfully petitioned the military judge to extend Barghouthi’s detention in order to search for evidence of wrongdoing. But finding no credible evidence for his continued imprisonment, the judge ordered Barghouthi’s release. The Israeli military prosecutor responded by cancelling Barghouthi’s release and charging him with the vague accusation of “incitement,” based on the same Facebook posts and with no new evidence. He has been transferred to a Shin Bet facility for further interrogation.
The arrest and re-arrest of Dr. Barghouthi is part of a broader pattern of disruption and suppression of Palestinian educational systems. Professor Barghouthi’s own campus, Al-Quds University, has suffered continuous and devastating assaults by the Israeli military. During the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, there were 31 attacks on Al-Quds University from which 2473 people were injured. During the 2013-2014 academic year alone, 640 lectures had to be cancelled, more than 830 students were treated for tear gas injuries, and more than 12,000 students were forced to evacuate the university on three occasions because of Israeli-inflicted violence.
Al-Quds University is far from alone. There is no space here to detail Israel’s assaults on the University of Gaza (bombed multiple times); Birzeit University (closed down at least 15 times; its former president, Dr. Hanna Nasir deported and was forced to carry out his administrative duties in exile for 19 years); hundreds of Palestinian schools, even kindergartens, destroyed or damaged. Arrests of faculty and students, are still continuing.
Article 26 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Israel is a signatory, grants all people the right to education. With rare exceptions, the response of the international scientific community to Israel’s violations of this right for the Palestinian people has been silence. Instead many in the scientific community have denounced the international academic boycott of Israeli state institutions utilizing the justification of protecting academic freedom. If those who militate against it are truly motivated by defense of academic freedom, then it is difficult to understand their silence in the face of its most extreme forms of denial, as in the case of Professor Barghouthi and countless other Palestinian academics and students.
(Signed)
Ahmed Abbes, CNRS and IHES, Paris,France.
Jean Bricmont, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
Chandler Davis, University of Toronto, Canada.
Freeman Dyson, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA.
Ivar Ekeland, Université Paris-Dauphine, France
Michael Harris, Columbia University, New York, USA.
David Klein, California State University, Northridge, USA.
Robert S. MacKay, University of Warwick, UK.
Mario Martone, University of Cincinnati, USA.
David Mumford, Brown University, Providence, USA.
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Vincent Rivasseau, Université Paris-Sud, France.
Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics, UK.
Alan Sokal, New York University, USA; and University College London, UK.