The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) welcomes the more than 350 academics from 20 Latin American countries who have committed to taking effective measures to end complicity in Israel’s regime of military occupation, apartheid, and genocide against the indigenous Palestinian people. 

The pledge was announced during the conference of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) in Bogotá, Colombia, and endorsed by Afro-Dominican anthropologist and feminist Ochy Curiel.

Academics from the Mora Institute, the Autonomous University of Chapingo and the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National Autonomous University of Mexico were among the promoters of the pledge, which was later signed by many others from across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The principled scholars committed to upholding international law recognize the role of academia in ensuring fundamental rights, including the right to education, are upheld for all.

The scholars recognize that Israel is committing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, including using starvation as a weapon, and is maintaining its 77-year apartheid regime. They acknowledge that this is an urgent time for action, as meaningful solidarity begins with ending complicity.

The commitment of Latin American academics is part of an unprecedented wave of solidarity measures in the academic and educational sphere, including the Professors Union of the University of Buenos Aires and the District Association of Education Workers of Bogotá declaring themselves Apartheid Free Zones.

Pledge Text

As principled scholars committed to upholding international law, we recognize that we have a role to play in academia to help ensure basic rights, including the right to education, are upheld for all.

We recognize that Israel is committing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, including using starvation as a weapon, and is maintaining its 77 year apartheid regime. We acknowledge that this is an urgent time for action, as meaningful solidarity begins with ending complicity.

We pledge to support the call from Palestinians, including Palestinian scholarly organizations and professors unions, to do no harm to the Palestinian liberation struggle.

We therefore commit to one or more of the following:

Support the Palestinian call to boycott complicit Israeli universities and to work to end ties with such institutions and our own universities;Encourage our faculty unions to adopt policies ensuring no ties with Israel’s regime of military occupation, apartheid and genocide and to support members who advocate for such policies;Campaign within our academic associations to pass motions supporting the Palestinian call to boycott complicit Israeli academic institutions;In the event our institutions fail to take measures to ensure no ties with Israel’s grave crimes against Palestinians, we pledge to adopt a position of conscientious objection, withdrawing our labor from any complicit projects.

 

>> See the full signature list. 

>> Scholars in Latin America, please add your signature here.Â