A Call to *All* Scientists from Particles for Palestine
Since I last wrote about Why Scientists Must Stand with Palestinians, several thousand Palestinians have been murdered by a violent Israeli bombardment of Gaza. The hospital infrastructure has been completely destroyed, multiple universities appear to be completely destroyed, and there is a water crisis. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers appear to have free range in the West Bank, where IDF has also been involved as a colonial occupier.I CHARGE GENOCIDE!
Particles for Palestine Launches Call to Support Palestine
This week I joined with a multiracial, multiethnic, and multinational group of 15 high energy physicists (particle physicists and quantum gravity physicists) to call for a ceasefire, support and promotion of Palestinian science and scientists, and robust support for academic freedom, including to protest Israeli apartheid. You'll find the document has careful citation, so it's also an opportunity learn more about what is happening.
We are asking scientists from around the world join us! Please read and sign the statement. You don't need to be a particle physicist to sign -- you just need to be made of particles (which we all are)! This is the first statement since October 7 that I know of which makes an explicit call to develop long-term support and partnerships with Palestinian scientists, professional organizations, and universities.
So far almost 200 people have joined us, and I am heartened to see signatories from all over the world and all walks of life. I see fellow Jews. I see Palestinians. I see young scientists. I see early career people. I see a community that is taking risks because they know it is worth fighting to invest in caring, not killing.
Whether or not you sign, I urge Americans to call their congressional representatives on a regular basis and ask them to support a ceasefire now! This can be scary to do -- you can call after hours and leave a message if you're nervous. The calls are working; they're feeling the pressure.
If you are able to go out into the streets and want to find a protest, here's a handy list of upcoming events. For those of you attending protests for the first time, here's a handy how-to guide to getting started as a protestor.
Shabbat Shalom, and may the ones who make peace bring peace down.
It is up to us,
Chanda