Complicity In israel’s Occupation #

The military industrial complex #

Throughout the past decade, the so-called “defence industry” has infiltrated schools and universities, particularly through STEM programs funded wholly or partly by weapons companies.1 This concerted effort by government departments and weapons companies aims to construct a comprehensive pipeline for recruiting young people into the military industrial complex.2 Because of this infiltration, “children as young as four years old may be exposed to weapons company branding.”3

Furthermore, weapon companies have formed “research and educational partnerships” with universities, which allowed them to establish weapon development labs across campuses. The Boeing Institute at University of Queensland and Lockheed Martin’s Stellr Lab at Deakin University are just two examples.4

Teachers for Peace (Website | Instagram | Twitter) have compiled a list of STEM programs sponsored by weapons companies. Email the program organisers and demand them to drop these harmful sponsors. They have also recently organised a boycott campaign against Lockheed Martin, you can find more details and take action through this link.

We must watch for further infiltrations and organise to reclaim our education systems. You can find more resources on the militarisation of Australian schools and universities below:

IHRA definition of anti-semitism #

Since 2021, the Australian government has endorsed the IHRA definition of anti-semitism, despite community concerns.5 As of March 2023, the following universities have adopted the IHRA definition:6

  • University of Melbourne
  • Monash University
  • University of Wollongong
  • Macquarie University
  • University of the Sunshine Coast

Since its inception, this proposed definition of anti-semitism has been heavily opposed by Palestinian and Jewish advocates, for by design, it focuses on branding criticisms of israel as antisemitic. By codifying the definition into legislations, anti-semitism is weaponised to repress Palestinian and Anti-Zionist advocacy, and to shield the israeli government from accountability.7

The adoption of the IHRA definition by universities continues undermines the already precarious ability for students and academics to engage in critical study/research/teaching on israeli settler colonialism and global imperialism. It erodes our collective right to speak up against israel, and these institution’s complicity in genocide.

Independent Jewish Voices Canada offer these principles and practical steps to create safety and freedom for all people, including Jewish people:

  1. Do not isolate antisemitism from other forms of oppression.
  2. Challenge political ideologies that foment racism, hate, and fear.
  3. Create environments that affirm and celebrate all expressions of cultural and religious life.
  4. Make undoing all forms of racism and bigotry both policy and daily practice.
  5. Practice safety through solidarity, not law enforcement.

You can learn more about these principles here, and see below for more resources regarding the IHRA definition:

Resources For Teachers, Staffs, Parents, Students And Alumni #

Join organising groups #

Every university has a different context of complicity with israel’s occupation, whether it’s through the silencing of Palestinian advocacy, the collaborations with weapons manufacturers, or the association with israeli institutions. It’s imperative that we organise strategically, in response to our specific contexts.

See Join Local Protests and Actions to find groups organising on your campus.

For more ideas of what you can do/organise on university campuses, check out Resources for Campus Organisers, compiled by Altruisa (Website | Instagram)

Resources for teachers #

Teachers for Palestine VIC (Instagram | Facebook) and Teachers for Palestine NSW (Instagram | Facebook) are collectives of teachers organising in schools and unions, towards a free Palestine. They have offered a variety of resources, from letter templates to teaching materials for classrooms, they are listed below:

Write to your school in support of Palestine #

The following resources are letter/statement templates written for a variety of contexts, including for teachers, staffs, parents, students, and alumni. They are useful examples from which you can create a template that addresses issues specific to your school/university. In the below section, templates are sorted loosely by topics.

Notes #

  1. Wage Peace Disrupt War. <https://www.wagepeaceau.org/demilitarise-education-campaign-background-briefing/>. Accessed 05/03/24 ↩︎

  2. Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia). <https://www.mapw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Minors-Missiles-2022-FINAL-jan-31_2023.pdf>. 05/03.24 ↩︎

  3. Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia). <https://www.mapw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Minors-Missiles-2022-FINAL-jan-31_2023.pdf>. 05/03.24 ↩︎

  4. Wage Peace Disrupt War. <https://www.wagepeaceau.org/noplaceinschools1/>. Accessed 05/03/24. ↩︎

  5. Ben Doherty. <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/15/australian-government-to-adopt-international-groups-definition-of-antisemitism>. Accessed 28/02/24. ↩︎

  6. Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. <https://apan.org.au/media_release/community-groups-warn-against-ihra-working-definition-of-antisemitism-call-on-universities-to-reject-adoption-and-ensure-campuses-are-safe-space-for-all/>. Accessed 28/02/24. ↩︎

  7. Palestine Legal. <https://palestinelegal.org/distorted-definition#resources>. Accessed 28/02/24. ↩︎