Summary

In a new step by RCHRS to advocate educational rights and to defend academic

freedoms in Palestine, the centre has issued its first biannual report on violations

against academic freedoms and educational rights for the period covering 1/1/2008 -

30/6/2008.

By issuing this second biannual report, RCHR continues to monitor and document

violations against educational and academic freedom during the second half of 2008

in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) territories in the West Bank and Gaza

Strip. In doing so, RCHRS has taken a full independent and impartial stance without

any biasness to one side or the other, relying heavily on international conventions

and agreements related to human rights.

This report fully tackles internal Palestinian issues and educational and academic

freedoms in the PNA territories, but it does not, in any way, exonerate the Israeli

occupation forces of their crimes against these rights and freedoms. RCHRS stresses

that Israeli occupation authorities are not innocent of allowing the conflict to escalate

in Palestine and reach the worst possible conditions witnessed in Palestine.

Moreover, many countries of the world are directly or indirectly considered partners

in allowing the situation in Palestine to deteriorate and the violations of the

Palestinian's rights to continue by not condemning crimes committed by the

occupation forces and by exerting pressure on the Palestinian Authority under many

pretexts, among which the responsibility to fulfill the obligations of the "Road Map".

During the period covered by this report, Israeli occupation forces deliberately

continued to commit grave violations targeting the whole educational sector in areas

under the Palestinian Authority. Israeli crimes and violations took the shape of

murder, arrests and attacks on educational institutions. Israeli military checkpoints

continued to impede the movement of students and teachers and to prevent them

from reaching their schools and universities. Checkpoint have even became "traps"

for arresting students while they are on their way to university.

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