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As individual members of the UCU Union National Executive Committee, we would like to send solidarity greetings to students at 17 universities who have occupied their colleges in protest over the Gaza crisis.

This is the largest wave of occupations for over a quarter of a century. Too often the media seeks to portray students of today as ones who do not share the aspirations of the 1968 generation, and deride them as "Generation Apathy". Their actions have decisively dispelled this myth.

Their demands to secure disinvestment by universities from companies involved in selling arms to Israel and free scholarships for students from Gaza show their humanity. They speak for the millions of young people throughout the world who are sick and tired of war and injustice, who simply desire a world in which the young grow up not knowing what it is to maim and kill.

They are an inspiration to us all. We wish them every success and call upon all those who want a more peaceful world to support their action.

Mark Campbell, Alan Whitaker, Amanda Sackur, Brian Ingham, Christine Vie, Dave Swanson, Gavin Reid, James Eaden, Jane Hardy, Jim Guild, John Murphy, Karen Evans, Lynne Chamberlain, Maeve Landman, Maire Daley, Malcolm Povey, Maureen Henry-Johnson, Nick James, Sasha Callaghan, Sean Vernell, Sue Blackwell, Terry Brotherstone, Tom Hicky

all writing in a personal capacity