Patrick Zaki with pro-Gaza students in Bologna: “Neatnyahu is a war criminal”

Patrick Zaki today in Bologna met the young people of the university collectives who have been camping with tents in Piazza Scaravilli for days. And he reiterates: "The universities must interrupt the agreements with Israel"

BOLOGNA – Patrick Zaki ’embraces’ the cause of the students of the Alma Mater of Bologna, who formed the Young Palestinians movement and have organized in recent days an “acampada” with tents in Piazza Scaravilli , in solidarity with the population of the Gaza Strip. “I am very happy that the students of my University are here to ask for rights and freedom for Palestine. I will always be with you and I will do everything to support you. It means a lot to me”, says Zaki taking the floor , after arriving this afternoon to participate in a public meeting with the university students of Bologna.

Before him, in the morning, the philosopher Judith Butler had shown up among the tents, already in the city for a conference last night organized by the University, who spoke with the young people on issues related to Palestine and the ongoing war, but also on the issues of gender identity on which he has concentrated his studies for years.

READ ALSO: Pro-Gaza tends at the University in Bologna. “Solidarity with US students”. And Zaki arrives on Wednesday
READ ALSO: VIDEO | Even in Naples he is leaning towards Gaza like Federico II: “No to genocide”

AT NIGHT 70 PEOPLE IN THE TENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY< /h3>

The tents in Piazza Scaravilli were pitched on Sunday afternoon and attendance has increased in recent days. “There are about 70 people at night, but during the day they increase”, explains Ettore, one of the spokesmen of the Young Palestinian movement. A group that is still waiting for the Alma Mater’s leaders to materialize the commitments made in recent weeks, when the University opened up the possibility of an open session of the Academic Senate on the boycott against Israel and a discussion table for a crackdown on ‘dual use’ , i.e. the dual civil and military value of research activities. “We are still waiting for a response – Ettore remarks – the University should get moving”.

“NETANYAHU IS A WAR CRIMINAL“

“I was attacked for saying it. But I want to reiterate: Netanyahu is a war criminal. And I will not apologize for what I wrote.” This was stated by Patrick Zaki, human rights activist, this afternoon in Bologna to meet the pro-Gaza students camped in the University. “The Israeli government is the main cause of the violence and what is happening in Palestine”, adds Zaki, according to whom the Israeli prime minister “should face prison for what he is doing”. Zaki then explains that even in his country, Egypt, student demonstrations in favor of the population of Gaza are controlled and nipped in the bud.
“There is a lot of control – says Zaki – 14 students have been arrested so far and in the universities there is no freedom to organize activities for Palestine. It is not easy, it is a real risk for life, they are truly heroes to support Palestine”. It is in particular the American University in Cairo which, being private, has more room for maneuver and “continues to fight”, being an “inspiration for other universities”, underlines Zaki. Who adds: “I hope that other students in Egypt are able to do what you do here in Bologna”. More generally, the activist underlines, “the situation is very difficult” in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, because “many arrests” have been recorded for pro-Palestine demonstrations also in Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

“STOP UNIVERSITY AND GOVERNMENT AGREEMENTS WITH ISRAEL”

The Alma mater of Bologna and all other Italian universities interrupt all collaboration and agreements with Israeli entities. “We will not accept that our taxes and our money and our activities finance Israel and the killing of the Palestinians.” This is supported by Patrick Zaki, who this afternoon met the movement of the Young Palestinians of the University of Bologna, who have been camping in tents in the university area since Sunday afternoon. “We cannot accept that our University of Bologna, and also other universities, have collaborations and agreements with Israel. We cannot accept that our taxes and everything else are used for this.”

According to Zaki, the Government must also “take a stand. It is continuing to arm Israel, we cannot accept that our money is used to kill Palestinians. Even silence is complicity with this crime. We must stop all this as soon as possible “. Zaki then invites the students to coordinate at a national level, to bring these requests to Parliament. “You can make real change,” says Zaki, who urges students to keep talking about Palestine. “I don’t want to generalize – says the activist – but the newspapers only cover a part of what happens. You also have the important role of spreading news about the genocide in progress. We can make a real change, we must stop the genocide. Keep talking about what is happening in Palestine”.