JOHANNESBURG – Shahd Abusalama, a Palestinian graduate, has been suspended by a British university from teaching amid a smear campaign by supporters of Israel. The suspension comes a day before she was supposed to start teaching at the university.
Speaking to Salaamedia, board member at Africa4Palestine Bram Hanekom expressed that this should be celebrated and worn as a badge of honour.
“Well, firstly, I think we need to celebrate her and congratulate her for this badge of honour, and I think as activists we need to understand that when a policeman beats you, it’s a badge of honour. When you’re arrested unlawfully and abused it’s, a bad honour. When you’re victimized, like she’s been, it’s an indication and a real badge of honour that she has successfully shown proper solidarity and meaningful support for the Palestinian struggle.”
Hanekom also issued a warning to the university and the Zionist lobby that activists will not take this kind of treatment lying down.
“When it comes to the university and the Zionist lobby, we want to warn them and be very very clear that their days of thuggery and bullying and unlawful manipulation of processes to try to suppress the voices of the Palestinian people and activists who support Palestine are coming to an end and these actions will not be forgotten. They will be remembered as a disgraceful period through the history of their institutions.”
If British universities will not take her, Hanekom wanted to remind her that South African universities will gladly accept her.
“She must apply for universities in South Africa. We are part of the world, and the world is very proud of what Palestine is doing to try to stand up for its rights and people like her. It would be an honour if she applied to some universities in South Africa and if South Africa ended up having the privilege of having her lecture in one of our universities and our universities are quite good as well.”
Julie Alli spoke to Bram Hanekom, Board Member at Africa4Palestine, on News & View. Listen to the full discussion here:
