FAQ

Why Al Quds Open University (QOU)?
QOU is the only Palestinian university (and there are not many) to not be formally twinned with a British organisation. The institution is a particularly inspiring one as it gives many Palestinians the opportunity to gain a university qualification in the most difficult of circumstances. For many Palestinians, simply attending a university campus in not an option due to the occupation. Many university campuses are regularly closed down by Israeli soldiers as well. It caters for over 60,000 students including a large proportion of women.

What practical things does the Twinning Campaign do for QOU?
In 2008 our big practical step was hosting the delegation from QOU. This included us organising meetings for them with the Warden of Goldsmiths, a formal meeting with the University of London, a meeting with the staff union (UCU), and organising meetings for them to raise awareness of their struggle and what QOU actually does in Palestine. We asked them what was the best thing we could do for QOU, with the money we raise, with the campaigning etc. They answered every time: send people to Palestine. They explained until people see the brutality of the occupation first hand, we will never truly understand what it is like. The staff union (UCU) has now twinned with QOU as well and are organsing academic cooperation to help strengthen the university. Goldsmiths also run a scholarships programme (won by the campaign in 2009) which offers MA courses every year for two QOU students.

I want to join the delegation to Palestine in April, what should I do?
The first thing you should do is contact James on hs701jh@gold.ac.uk to get further details and make sure you are free! Also check the page on this blog.

Why do you not twin with an Israeli University as well?
Goldsmiths Students’ Union has a proud history of fighting against military wars and occupations across the globe, and Palestine is no exception. We are all for peace in Palestine, however not at the expense of basic Palestinian rights, such as the right to education, self-governance, and freedom from foreign occupation. It is Palestine that is occupied illegally, not Israel, so twinning with a Palestinian university is both a symbolic and practical way of showing solidarity against the occupation.

If there is an Israeli University or Students’ Union that has a clear policy against the occupation, then rather than twin with it ourselves, we would help foster a direct twinning between them and QOU. This is the most practical way of creating dialogue; for what purpose would there be in us twinning with both a Palestinian and Israeli University when they should twin with each other!


Isn’t the Palestine Twinning Campaign alienating Jewish students?
Not all Jewish people support the illegal occupation of Palestine. In fact huge numbers do not, and Goldsmiths is no exception. Throughout the campaign we have had many Jewish students play a crucial role in the campaign. We have held meetings with Jewish speakers on Palestine, and made it very clear that Zionism and Judaism are two completely separate things: the former is political, the latter is religious.

Just as we campaign against the British invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan without alienating all British students, so we campaign against the Israeli occupation without alienating all Israeli students or Jewish students.

We do hold our hands up in saying that we may well alienate those students who support the Israeli occupation of Palestine. However you could also say we alienate racists in our anti-racist campaigns, sexists in our anti-sexism campaigns etc.