This is a statement by the Palestine solidarity encampments at University of Sydney, University of Adelaide, University of Queensland, Curtin University, Monash University, RMIT University, Deakin University, University of Tasmania, Latrobe University, Australian National University, and University of Wollongong.

We have established peaceful protest encampments on unceded Aboriginal land to stand with the people of Gaza against the bombings, invasion and occupation by Israeli forces. Our struggle is for them, and our encampments are for them. We are horrified at the brutality that is being brought down upon Palestinians. We cannot sit by while it unfolds. To do so would be a moral travesty. We believe in the possibility of a world without war, but that belief demands action.

Our demands are simple. We call on our universities to disclose all of their ties with Israel, divest from those ties, and sign on to the international Boycott Divestment & Sanctions statement. In particular, we are deeply disturbed by the partnerships that many of our universities hold with weapons companies. We are peace activists. We firmly believe that universities should be institutions of education and learning, and should not have any connection to the weapons industry that brings death and destruction to our world.

We condemn the physical attacks against numerous encampments by supporters of Israel. This has included fireworks being shot at tents at the University of Adelaide and repeated violent attacks on the Monash encampment in the night. We condemn the physical attacks against numerous encampments by supporters of Israel. We similarly condemn racist attacks on Muslim students by supporters of Israel.

We are aware that people in Gaza know about our camps. We have seen photos with the names of Australian universities written on tents and held up on signs in the war zone.

Internationally, governments and institutions have attempted to isolate the Palestinians. Our encampments strive to show those in Gaza that they do not walk alone. We want to show that young people in this country are with our brothers and sisters in Gaza. We stand with them, we breathe with them, we share their sorrows, we raise their flag.

Our encampments are acts of nonviolent protest. We believe firmly in freedom of speech and expression, and oppose any and all attempts by university administrations to shut down encampments or discipline any of those involved. We make decisions democratically through camp meetings made up of any and all participants who wish to attend. We reject all forms of racism and discrimination including Islamophobia, antisemitism, sexism, transphobia and homophobia. Opposition to the state of Israel and to Zionism as an ideology is not antisemitism. Many of the student leaders of our protests are Jewish. We stand alongside Jewish people against discrimination, and we see ourselves as standing on the shoulders of a long line of Jewish pro-Palestine and anti-war activists. We welcome Jewish participants in the encampments. We are grateful to all those who have supported our camps by visiting, donating supplies, or sending messages.

We call for university management teams to meet with us and answer our demands, but we refuse to meet with them behind closed doors or carry out secret negotiations. We insist that any process of dialogue with the university be open to all those participating in the encampments, as well as any other staff or students who wish to attend.

We end this statement with the words of the late historian Howard Zinn:

To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.

 We reject passivity, cynicism, pessimism and lethargy. We replace them with hope, determination and civil disobedience. Together, we are capable of more than we think. Our protests form one small link in the historical chain of activism against war and racism.