Updated | 79 academics call on government to condemn Israeli ‘aggression’

79 academics from the University of Malta called on the government of Malta to condemn the Israeli aggression on Gaza, in which 870 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,740 have been injured.

The number has gone up from 74 to 79.

The academics echoed the call of seven Peace Nobel Prize winners, intellectuals and artists from the whole world for a military embargo towards Israel.

The statement signed by the academics said that military trade and joint military-related research relations with Israel embolden Israeli impunity in committing grave violations of international law and facilitate the entrenchment of Israel’s system of occupation, colonisation and systematic denial of Palestinian rights.

“We call on the UN and governments across the world to take immediate steps to implement a comprehensive and legally binding military embargo on Israel, similar to that imposed on South Africa during apartheid.”

They also urged government to condemn the Israeli aggression on Gaza and affirmed their support to the Palestine Solidarity Network (Malta) which advocates the end to Israeli occupation and colonisation of Palestinian land.

The network is against the systematic oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian population at the hands of the Israeli state and its allies and champions the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands, as stipulated by the 194 UN resolution.

It also calls for the dismantling of the current Apartheid system that, with its practices of segregation and institutional racism, is denying the fundamental human rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories and of Palestinian citizens of Israel

The statement was signed by Clare Azzopardi, Jacqueline Azzopardi, Joseph Azzopardi, Mario Azzopardi, Claire Azzopardi Lane, Ruth Baldacchino, Carmel Borg, MaryAnn Borg Cunen, Charles G. Bonello, Michael Briguglio, Maria Brown, Ernest Cachia, Colin Calleja, Isabelle Calleja Ragonesi, Frank Camilleri, Rene Camilleri, Censu Caruana, Carmel Cassar, George Cassar, Joanne Cassar, Arnold Cassola, John Chircop, Philip Ciantar, Marilyn Clark, Paul Michael Clough, Maureen Cole, Natasha Cordina, Mary Darmanin, Mark Debono, Angele Deguara, Katya De Giovanni, Andreana Dibben, Edward Duca, Neil Falzon, Ruth Falzon, Ruth Farrugia, Giuliana Fenech, Albert Gatt, Isabelle Gatt, Lou Ghirlando, Joe Gravina, Michael Grech, Adrian Grima, Anna Khakee, Peter Mayo, Robert Micallef, Dione Mifsud, Immanuel Mifsud, Josephine Milton, Matthew Montebello, Brenda Murphy, Marceline Naudi, Charles Pace, Paul J. Pace, Maria Pisani, Claudia Psaila, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, Pierre Schembri Wismayer, Claire Shoemake, Doreen Spiteri, Ronald G. Sultana, Nadia Theuma, Joseph Troisi, Vasilis Valdramidis, Marie Louise Vella, Olvin Vella, Yosanne Vella, Valerie Visanich, Anna Zammit, Clive Zammit, David Zammit, Anthony Aquilina, Joseph Falzon, Joseph Axiaq.