The event, which was marked by chants and the waving of Palestinian flags, aimed to draw attention to the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people and to voice support for those protesting in the USA.
Ahmet Yakup Dağaşan, a university student, commenced the proceedings with a recitation from the Holy Quran before the declaration was read out in five languages: Turkish, Arabic, English, Japanese, and Russian.
The English version of the declaration, titled 'Palestine Solidarity Declaration of Social Sciences University of Ankara,' expressed a profound rejection of the genocide and reiterated the university community's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
Addressing the historical context and the role of universal values, the declaration underscored the failure of international bodies to prevent crimes against humanity and highlighted the ongoing atrocities committed by Israel, particularly in Rafah, Gaza.
The document condemned the systematic oppression endured by Palestinians over the past century and denounced Israel's actions as a flagrant violation of human values. It called for swift and concrete action to hold Israel accountable for its crimes.
Furthermore, the declaration emphasized the moral obligation of universities to uphold truth and justice, stating that silence in the face of such atrocities amounted to complicity.
As a testament to their commitment to justice and compassion, the university community strongly condemned Israel's genocide in Palestine and pledged solidarity with universities worldwide that have taken a stand against the violence.
The declaration concluded with a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of the Palestinian people and a fervent call for a free and prosperous Palestine.
The 'Palestine Solidarity Declaration' issued by Ankara Social Sciences University reflects a growing global movement to oppose injustice and support the rights of oppressed communities worldwide.
The full text of the English version of the declaration is as follows:
Palestine Solidarity Declaration of Social Sciences University of Ankara
We are experiencing historic days and bearing witness to history. As part of our testimony, we have gathered in front of a historical building today as students, academics, and administrative staff of the Social Sciences University of Ankara. The reason for our gathering is to declare that we are against the genocide committed against the Palestinian people and that we stand with the Palestinian people.
As members of Ankara Social Sciences University, our stance and attitude are a reflection of our deep understanding of the truth of all universal values related to the university, academia, science, philosophy, and, in short, humanity.
The ineffectiveness and double standards of the UN, which was supposedly created to prohibit the use of force and threats of any kind and to establish universal peace, are evident not only in the crimes against humanity committed in the past in Vietnam, Srebrenica, and Iraq but also today in Israel's illegitimate military operations, while peoples of oppressed regions around the world have been under the domination of global imperialist powers for decades. Over the course of seven months, western senior representatives have not only failed to prevent, but also directly supported these crimes, which are continuing right now with the mass genocide of the innocent and oppressed, by attacking Rafah, a region recognized as a safe zone, in which 1.5 million civilians have sought refuge, while ceasefire negotiations are still ongoing.
The brutal oppression of the Palestinians in the last 100 years is an important example of how the truth can be systematically distorted and of Western governments’ double standard policies. The suffering of the Palestinian people, who were subject to forced migration, systematic and planned violence, and unlawful seizing of their possessions have reached new dimensions ever since the 7th of October. Israel is blatantly and shamelessly committing genocide in front of all of humanity. The perpetrators of this oppression now audaciously see themselves as completely justified and morally superior.
The technical power behind them and international support serve to shield the perpetrators of oppression and portray them as victims. But the truth is clear as day. A system based on systematically and consciously killing thousands of innocent babies, women, and injured has lost all connection to human values. Israel, with all its institutions, theories, laws, and theology, has been completely exposed; it has been convicted in the court of conscience of all humanity as the perpetrator of the gravest crimes. Our hope is for this verdict to be executed upon Israel most concretely soon as possible.
We have gathered here today to reconsider our relationship with the truth and to declare our commitment to it. Because universities owe their existence to the legitimacy that results from their relationship with the truth. No institution that remains silent on crimes against humanity in Palestine can associate itself with science, knowledge, or truth. As;
Silence means losing moral legitimacy.
Silence means being part of the oppression.
Silence means opening the door for potential oppression and genocide in the future.
Silence means the loss of hope for humanity.
Silence means abandoning the struggle made on behalf of children under the clear sky.
Silence means being heartless enough not to shed a tear for the death of a baby.
Silence means giving up and losing.
Therefore, as students, academics, and administrative staff of Ankara Social Sciences University, but above all, as individuals guided by compassion, we strongly condemn Israel’s genocide in Palestine, just as many universities around the world do. We declare that there can be no explanation for the unprovoked slaughter of thousands of babies, women, and the elderly by hiding behind distorted sacralizations. We strongly protest the distortion of truth before our eyes and strongly condemn the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in the harshest terms.
We see the honorable resistance of the Palestinian people as a great act of sacrifice and determination that will start a new era, and we salute those honorable people with our highest regard.
For the sake of innocent children with eyes full of hope…
Long live, free and beautiful Palestine… (ILKHA)
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