The letter delivered to Professor David Greenaway on Friday the 6th of February by the members of the Books not Bombs Campaign.
To Professor David Greenaway, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham
Over the past weeks, we have been appalled to see the devastation wrought on Gaza by the Israeli military. With over 1,300 dead, of those more than 300 children, and tens of thousands now homeless, Gaza is in a situation of humanitarian crisis.
In a conflict which has claimed so many innocent lives, the road to peace lies in promoting knowledge, education and understanding. But due to the combined effects of the occupation, severe poverty and violence, the educational infrastructure in Gaza is collapsing.
The University of Nottingham has received millions of pounds in sponsorship from weapons development companies such as BAE Systems and the Smiths Group, both suppliers of equipment to the Israeli military. Just a small proportion of this sum could be used to make a huge difference to students whose chance at education is being destroyed by just such weapons.
For this reason, as staff and students of this university we ask that you provide funding for scholarships for Gazan students, and academic aid in the form of books, computers and programmes of exchange.
Whatever monetary costs might be paid are more than compensated for by the moral standing earned in supporting those who are in need of help, and upholding the fine principles of universal dignity and human rights to which the University and indeed the entire academic community aspires.
In solidarity with Gaza,
- The members of the Books Not Bombs campaign.
Send Books not Bombs 
I can’t help but feel that the letter sounds a little weak, in that it wouldn’t make the university a moral institution if it gave some of the vast profits it makes from killing to some of the victims.
It’s great as a start and the demo was fantastic, but I think we should be focussing on the vision of a university that makes no weapons a n d provides academic support to areas affected by conflict.
The demo was amazing though and the great thing is that we’ve come straight back after the occupation with the core message intact.