Over 520 people at Warwick have signed a student-staff open letter “Demilitarise Warwick – Divest from Companies Providing Military Support for Israeli War Crimes and Occupation”.

The open letter was delivered to the University and is scheduled for discussion at University Council on February 7th, which coincides with the National Day of Action for Gaza. Given Israel’s relentless and ongoing destruction of Palestinian life and infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank, the ICJ’s recent ruling that Israel must take steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, and the UK’s subsequent decision to suspend funding to UNRWA, it is more important than ever that we stand with the Palestinian people and pressure our University to cut its ties with arms manufacturers on campus, such as Rolls Royce and BAE Systems, for their complicity in Zionist war crimes and atrocities.

On February 7 as part of the National Day of Workplace Action and Walk-outs for Palestine, staff and students are organising a number of events. Please come and join us. Your presence has never been more important:

· 8:40 AM - 9:10 AM (Outside the Slate building) Picket the Council and demand they Demilitarise Warwick 

· 11:30-12:25 Outside the Slate building (Outside the Slate building) Teach-out about what’s happening on the ground in Gaza, the ICJ Ruling, and what we and the University should do

· 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM (Outside the FAB) Vigil to highlight the destruction of Gaza’s education system and the killing of almost 100 Palestinian academic colleagues and thousands more students

UNISON national has a strong history supporting Palestine Solidarity Campaign, including the carried motion at last year’s National Delegate Conference that I attended and voted for. UNISON is also the first trade union in the UK to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Locally, Demilitarising Warwick is a demand from over 520 of our colleagues and students. And I want to help amplifying our voice for millions of workers, families, and children in Palestine under the ever so Dangerous Occupation, and now following the CIJ ruled acts of Genocide in Gaza.

Therefore, I will be there tomorrow morning outside the slates at 08:40 with UNISON flags and the leaflet from UNISON and PSC about workers rights in Palestine. Other reps from the branch will be there.

Will you join us?

Your branch Learning Rep, Membership & Education Officer

Yue Zhou, Centre for Lifelong Learning

UNISON University of Warwick Branch