7 June 2024
On 7 October 2023 over two-thirds of the people of Gaza were refugees: victims or their descendants of Israel’s massive and systematic ethnic cleansing in 1948 or 1967. Later, Israel closed Gaza’s land, sea and air borders, dooming its people to poverty and mass unemployment, and sought to terrorise them by repeated bombing attacks – so frequently it became known in Israel as “mowing the lawn”. After more than twenty years, the people of Gaza were bound to resist this military occupation which Israel had illegally imposed on them: what people would not? But the British government simply will not hear a word of sympathy, as a young Palestinian law student at the University of Manchester has discovered. Here is an appeal by the European Legal Support Center. Below that is a report of the story in LBC.
ELSC Appeal:
Dana Abu Qamar, a 19-year-old Palestinian law student at the University of Manchester, is facing severe state repression. On the 1st of December 2023, the British Home Secretary revoked her student visa on the grounds that her presence in the UK was “not conducive to the public good”, following an interview in which she advocated for the right of Palestinians to resist occupation in accordance with international law.
With the support of the ELSC, Dana has bravely launched a human rights appeal against the Home Office’s arbitrary and authoritarian attempt to silence and punish Palestinian voices.
How You Can Help: We need to raise at least £15,000 to cover legal costs for Dana’s appeal. Your donation, big or small, can make a significant impact.
LBC report:
Palestinian student who faces deportation over October 7 comments insists she was not referring to Hamas
17 May 2024, 19:50 | Updated: 17 May 2024, 19:57
Tom Swarbrick speaks to Dana Abu Qamar
By Emma Soteriou
A Palestinian student who faces deportation over her remarks about October 7 has insisted she was not referring to Hamas.
Dana Abuqamar, 19, was filmed at a protest one day after the attack describing how she was “full of joy” and “proud that Palestinian resistance has come to this point”.
The Manchester University law student has since had her visa revoked, with the Home Office citing reasons of “public safety”.
But Ms Abuqamar said that her “words were taken out of context”.
Speaking to LBC’s Tom Swarbrick on Friday, she said: “I do not mention Hamas, I do not mention that I condone the killing of any innocent civilians, my words were taken completely out of context.
“No logical person can conclude that I was supporting harm to any innocent civilians based on the context that was given.”
When asked what she was “full of pride” about, Ms Abuqamar said: “The breaking of the siege on Gaza, which was put in place on Gaza illegally for over 16 years.”
She went on to say: “Palestinian resistance in itself is an action. Resistance is consistent with international law.
“It does not concern me what Hamas was doing, I was referring to Palestinian resistance. I was referring to resistance that is consistent with international law and the specific act of breaking through the siege.
She added: “I was not referring to any group.”