Ei-iE

The 6th Education International (EI) World Congress meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, from 22nd to 26th July 2011:

1. Notes the 2010 EI/CAUT report The Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza that found ongoing violations of the fundamental principles of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel, and that these violations of academic and professional rights are most serious in the West Bank and Gaza;

2. Resolves to support the work of relevant and independent Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights organizations to document violations within Israel, the West Bank and Gaza of basic civil liberties, academic freedom, and professional rights and standards of academic staff as affirmed in 1997 UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel;

3. Acknowledges Israel’s right to adopt appropriate measures consistent with international law to protect the security of its citizens, but insists that the Israeli government allow for the free movement of students and staff within the Occupied Palestinian Territories; permit student and staff entry into and exit from the West Bank and Gaza; and, in accordance with international human rights obligations, allow for the unimpeded passage of goods and services into the West Bank and Gaza necessary and adequate to allow for normal economic activity and the sufficient provision of essential services including education;

4. Welcomes the pending application of the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors to join Education International and agrees to work with PFUUPE to develop its capacity to defend the academic and professional rights of staff in the West Bank and Gaza.