We, the undersigned, strongly oppose the decision to invite Deputy Ambassador of the Ministry of Israel, Mr Alon Roth-Snir, to speak at the University on Thursday the 28th of February 2013 on “Israel and the Middle East”. This petition is to express our deep discontent and concerns about the forthcoming visit. The international community has recognised that Israel has completely disregarded human rights concerns and has violated over 30 UN resolutions in its treatment and dispossession of the Palestinian peoples and lands. Israel is involved in some of the most serious violations of international law including forced displacement, settlement in occupied territories, annexations of land by force along with willful killing, torture, and collective punishment of civilians. Israel’s violations of the rights of, and discrimination against, its own citizens are also of much concern for us and cannot be tolerated by democratic states. We recognise the importance of freedom of expression and we believe that an open debate about controversial issues is essential to the academic environment at the university. However, Mr Roth-Snir is the official representative of a country that continues to oppress Palestinians both inside Israel, and in the Occupied Territories through committing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law against the Palestinian people on a daily basis. We are against the university allowing such a platform to an individual who is complicit in the illegal and unjustifiable breaches of international laws and human rights. Therefore, we strongly urge the university to reconsider their invitation in light of these considerations.