Books without Borders: An appeal from the Faculty for Israeli-Palestinian Peace - UK

"An appeal for books for Palestine

Faculty for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (FFIPP) is a network of Palestinian, Israeli, and International academics and reseachers, with an affiliated international student network, working for an end to the occupation and for a just peace.

We note with dismay the effects of occupation on academic freedom in Palestine in recent years. Universities have been closed for prolonged periods, students often unable to reach their studies because of delays or closure of checkpoints – or denied the right to travel to their universities at all. This has affected medical and physiotherapy students in Gaza in particular where no local courses are available and travel to the West Bank banned. Academic staff with foreign passports (including Palestinians who have lived abroad) may be denied residency rights by the military authorities and excluded – often with no notice at all.

We can do positive things to help

Palestinian universities generally are starved of resources. In particular there is an acute shortage of books and other materials for study. While Arabic is the main language of instruction, English is widely used and is often of critical importance particularly in technical fields.

There is a shortage of books of all kinds in academic and research institutions in Palestine – especially up-to-date technical, science, nursing and medical-related texts; teaching English as a second/foreign language, English literature; information technology and so on.

You can help by

· donating books – all kinds and levels welcome, but introductory textbooks are particularly needed - up-to-date and in excellent condition please;

· donating money – so that we can buy books that are specifically requested and contribute to shipping costs;

· acting as a local agent - as a focal point for donations in your college, university or department.

Books are being collected for shipment early in 2008. UCU has kindly agreed for them to be stored and sorted at the union offices in London (27 Britannia Street, WC1X 9JP). Books that are not suitable will be sold and the funds used for the project as a whole.

Please contact us at books@ffipp-uk.org if you any queries about the suitability of books, suggestions or are willing to help the project in any way.

www.ffipp-uk.org"

www.ffipp.org