Pro-Palestinian activists occupy UGent rectorate, demand Israeli academic boycott
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied the roof of the rectorate building at Ghent University (UGent) on Wednesday morning, demanding a total academic boycott of Israel. The protesters argue that the university's recent decision to phase out five remaining research collaborations with Israeli partners does not go far enough.
The activists describe the rectorate as "occupied". Earlier this week, several slogans were sprayed on the building, including "Not just 5, cut all ties", referencing UGent's recent announcement that it would terminate five remaining Horizon research projects with Israeli partners it deemed problematic. The protesters are demanding that all ties with Israeli institutions be severed entirely.
UGent has ruled out a total academic boycott of Israel. It still maintains five collaborations with partners it considers not to be involved in serious human rights violations. It also does not regard four projects listed on the European research platform CORDIS as institutional collaborations, on the grounds that it does not itself work directly with the Israeli partners involved in those projects.
Rector Petra De Sutter has said she personally believes Israel should no longer participate in Horizon Europe, the EU's research funding programme, though she stressed that only the European Commission has the authority to make that decision.
UGent goes to court
UGent has strongly condemned Wednesday's action and is seeking the activists' expulsion to court via summary proceedings. The university says this step was necessary after further acts of vandalism were discovered. Police is present, but has not intervened.
Earlier, UGent said that while peaceful protest and free expression have their place, they cannot come at the cost of property damage or campus safety. De Sutter has also made clear that vandalism or disruption to students would not be tolerated.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JONAS D'HOLLANDER
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