Segregation of Palestinians is one reason to support Israeli boycott

In 2013 the UN stated that Israel was carrying out “de facto segregation” against the Palestinians. In 2012 Palestinian citizens of Israel were allocated less than 6.25% of the state budget though they make up 20% of the population.

An article by Benjamin Pogrund in the Guardian last year (26/7/14) revealed Jewish and Palestinian children learn together in just five schools in Israel, “the rest are segregated”.

Human Rights Watch report schools for Palestinian children are “often overcrowded and understaffed, badly maintained or simply unavailable”. Palestinians comprise only 3.7% of federal employees and hold 1% of university faculty positions in Israel; 42% of the Palestinian population live below the poverty line.

The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz has pointed out that of 338 athletes who represented Israel over the years in the olympics, only two were Palestinian. The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has noted the discrimination against Palestinians in Jerusalem, which has about 700,000 Jewish residents and 260,000 Palestinians. Jewish areas have 1,000 public parks, 36 swimming pools and 26 libraries. Palestinians have 45 parks, no swimming pools and two libraries.

Mr Pogrund accuses supporters of Palestine of churning out “a torrent of false propaganda” against Israel. None of the above is false.

Because of all this, and for other serious reasons, I support the Boycott, Sanctions and Disinvestment Movement against Israel.

Dr Brendan O’Brien

Secretary Enfield Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Winchmore Hill

London