An Israeli airstrike devastated Gaza’s Al-Azhar University, along with several other educational institutions in the occupied territory. The Israelis damaged nine university buildings in Gaza and two in the West Bank. This resulted in over 227,335 Palestinian students, including 555 with scholarships abroad. It also experiences disruptions to their higher education. Then, on Jan. 18, Al-Israa University was destroyed by 315 mines, leading to the complete destruction of all of Gaza’s universities, as well as over 350 schools and libraries. These attacks not only target physical buildings, but also result in the loss of archives, records, and intellectual contributions.
The destruction of Al-Israa’s museum was an attempt to cover up evidence of looting rare artefacts. These assaults perpetuate Israel’s epistemicide and contribute to the erasure of Palestinian achievements. All these things are deeply intertwined with their ongoing genocide.
Epistemicide, the destruction of knowledge systems, has played a crucial role in the colonization of Europe worldwide. It also gave European philosophy an “epistemic privilege.”
In Palestine, British Mandate policies hindered Palestinian higher education. They supported Zionist Jewish universities such as the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This colonial sabotage laid the groundwork for Israeli epistemicide. The Nakba led to the destruction of Palestinian society and its knowledge systems. Israeli authorities undermine Palestinian oral histories and limit access to historical archives. They undermine Palestinian knowledge production. Israel interferes with Palestinian academic freedom and the functioning of knowledge institutions, maintaining its epistemic privilege. Western institutions also contribute by favouring Israeli narratives and erasing Palestinian voices. Protecting Palestinian knowledge is essential in resisting Israel’s ongoing oppression. We should assert Palestinian sovereignty and resistance.
Ultimately, Palestinian narratives and knowledge production are in challenging conditions. Being a Palestinian supporter and Muslims, we should offer scholarships and educational resources to Gaza students and faculty. we should help to mitigate the impact of destruction also make sure the educational access.
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