STAND WITH US : Urgent : Action Alert - Sign Petition - Overturn Spain's Boycott of Israeli University

ACTION ALERT

OVERTURN SPAIN'S BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL'S ARIEL UNIVERSITY CENTER

SIGN THE PETITION—AND WRITE TO THE U.S. AND SPANISH GOVERNMENTS

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENGERGY SHOULD DEMAND THAT SPAIN REVOKE ITS
DISCRIMINATORY DECISION, OR LOSE U.S. SPONSORSHIP AND THE PRIVILEGE OF HOLDING
THE SOLAR DECATHLON

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Political extremists have launched yet another Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel. They pressured Spain into abruptly expelling Ariel University Center (AUC) from the 2010 Solar Decathlon, an international competition for building a self-sustaining solar house, even though Ariel’s team was chosen as one of 20 finalists. The U.S. Department of Energy created the first Solar Decathlon in 2002, agreed in 2007 to have Spain host the competition in alternating years, and is co-sponsoring the 2010 event.

BDS’s goal of spreading the 60-year-old Arab boycott against Israel violates all standards for international cooperation which call for transcending political grievances in joint research that will advance human knowledge and benefit humanity. BDS activists oppose and threaten those ideals. Spain has capitulated to their demands.

PETITION

To: U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. State Department; Members of U.S. Congress; Secretary General of Housing, Kingdom of Spain; Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, Kingdom of Spain; OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

We, the undersigned,

Demand that Spain reinstate Israel’s Ariel U in the international solar competition immediately. The AUC team had been accepted as one of 20 finalists, had already received some Decathlon funds to complete their project, and had worked for over a year when, with no warning, Spain’s Minister of Housing wrote on 9/11/09 that they had been expelled.

Urge U.S. officials to revoke U.S. co-sponsorship of Spain ‘s Solar Decathlon if Spain does not reverse the policy. The U.S. should not be complicit in a boycott against Israel.

Condemn Spain’s violation of its 2007 “Memorandum of Understanding” with the U.S. which granted it the right to the host the 10th Decathlon. The agreement did not give Spain the right to arbitrarily exclude teams on political grounds.

Condemn Spain for capitulating to the malicious BDS political campaign. The BDS letter to Spain (Sept. 14, 2009) is a screed of extremist demands, distortions of international law, and demonization of Israel and even of its environmental innovations. BDS has no interest in furthering this crucial area of research, and should not be allowed to impose its political vendettas on students engaged in serious research that will contribute to human progress. “Boycott is incompatible with the hallmark of academic culture: a free, research-based dialogue,” according to the Rector of Norway’s University of Science and Technology.

Condemn Spain’s misrepresentation of EU policy to justify the exclusion. Ariel’s location in the West Bank does not violate any EU policy on cooperative projects. Israel has extensive economic, cultural and scientific programs with the EU. Between 2007 and 2009, there were 428 joint scientific projects, some of which were located over the Green Line, the 1949 Armistice lines. Israel and the Palestinians have been negotiating to determine what the future borders between them should be.

Condemn Spain for punitive, discriminatory actions against Arab and Israeli students at Ariel U, and against the diverse group that was on the Decathlon team. They have been a model of Arab-Israeli cooperation.

We respectfully remind all parties that Israel and the Palestinians are trying to work out a solution to their conflict. Many peace proposals have placed Ariel within Israel’s final borders with the Palestinians. This boycott presupposes and prejudices the outcome of future negotiations.

Call upon the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) to investigate whether Spain’s actions qualify as anti-Semitic according to the OSCE’s 2004 Vienna Declaration. Anti-Semitism includes “the singling out of Israel for discriminatory treatment in the international arena,” according to the London Declaration on Combating Anti-Semitism of 2008. International polls have shown Spain has the highest rate of anti-Semitic attitudes of any country in Europe.

Signed

Urgent : Action Alert - Sign Petition - Overturn Spain's Boycott of Israeli University

NO FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HAMAS ! PETITION

SIGN THIS PETITION

To: The Honorable Hillary Clinton

March 17, 2009

The Honorable Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State

2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Madam Secretary:

I write to you today regarding the situation in the Middle East. In the wake of Hamas' attacks on Israel, and Israel's defensive operations, I understand the U.S. government has pledged to grant $900 million for the rebuilding of Gaza and for assisting the Palestinian Authority. I am concerned that this money will end up helping Hamas and hurting the very Palestinian people we intend to help.

For years, the U.S. has infused money into the Palestinian Authority (PA), with very little to show for it. Their leaders are no more ready to govern today than they were before we began our funding. After years of mismanagement, their basic institutions are in shambles and they have shown very little ability to govern in the West Bank without the presence of the Israeli Defense Forces. Instead of helping average Palestinians, our money has lined the pockets of the Arafats and other corrupt Palestinian leaders.

I also understand our funding will not be conditioned on any reciprocal actions by Hamas or the PA. Despite Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Hamas still refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state, has not stopped raining rockets on Israeli territory and still holds captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. It is essential that we condition our funding on Hamas'reciprocating with these basic demands. Without such links, Palestinians will see the U.S. as providing aid while Hamas continues to terrorize the Israeli people, with no consequences from the U.S. government.

I am also concerned that much of the funding will be directed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Unfortunately, UNRWA has proven itself to be a biased agency, with very little oversight. During the most recent violence in Gaza, UNRWA issued numerous statements attacking Israel for their self-defense actions, while failing to criticize Hamas for launching missiles at innocent Israeli citizens. Much of UNWRA's money and services end up in the hands of people who are wealthy enough not to need the assistance, or worse, with members of terrorist organizations. UNRWA officials have even admitted that they cannot guarantee their money does not go to Hamas. I believe helping UNRWA does not further the cause of peace.

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No Financial Support to Hamas! Petition