RAMALLAH: A visit by the US Consul General in Occupied Jerusalem to Al Najah National University in the Palestinian city of Nablus provoked clashes between university students protesting against the visit and security guards outside the university’s walls.
The students vowed to organise further protests until they receive an official apology from the university management about the visit of the US consulate delegation.
The management of Al Najah National University has commissioned a committee to investigate the clashes which erupted between the students and the university guards. At least three students were hospitalised after suffering injuries and fractures and university identity cards of scores others were seized by security guards.
Khaled Mefleh, who heads the public relations department at the university, said that the committee will immediately begin its mission and interrogate all those involved in the clashes. He said that the US delegates attended a graduation ceremony for participants of certain training courses sponsored by US bodies. He said that tens of university students organised a strike on the street opposite but clashes occurred after the US delegates exited the university.
Commenting on the fact that university guards acted outside the walls of the university, Mefleh said that the guards have previously acted outside the premises when there was danger.
The protesters at Al Najah National University said in a different statement that the students never resorted to violence and only held signs opposing the US delegation visit as well as pictures of devastation from Israel’s recent deadly offensive against Gaza. The students said that the university security guards tried to end the strike and threatened the students with suspension from the university.
The students said that the clashes erupted when the students refused to end their strike and the guards insisted on ending the protest before the US delegates left the university premises. The students insisted on continuing their function and presenting their position to the US officials, insisting that it was not the right of the security guards to attack the protesters and end their protest by force.
The students maintain that by law the university security guards are not allowed to act outside the university walls. They also allege that the way the guards handled the strike was against the law and that the guards’ attack was documented and filmed by several students.
The students stressed that the incident will not pass unpunished and that the students will organise several other functions protesting against the security guards and how management handled their function.
The US stations its Israel embassy in Tel Aviv, and its consulate in Occupied Jerusalem looks after Palestinian affairs.
