The pro-Palestinian activists who have been occupying Ghent University’s (UGent) UFO building for over a week have rejected the university’s Vice-Chancellor’s offer of talks behind closed door. One of the activists told VRT News that "Today we invited him today for an open dialogue, but he only wants to talk behind closed doors. This is unacceptable and it is unworthy of a university”.
Pro-Palestinian activists occupying building at Ghent University turned down offer of talks behind closed doors with Vice-Chancellor and plan further action
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The protesters at UGent are not happy with the way that the university’s Vice-Chancellor Rik Van de Walle is treating them. They had invited him to explain UGent's policy on cooperation with partners in Israel.
The activists are demanding a temporary total suspension of cooperation with Israeli academic institutions. The request for a total suspension of cooperation with Israel is based on confidential advice that was issued by the university’s Human Right’s Commission, advice that the Vice-Chancellor chose to ignore.
"The Vice-Chancellor could have come and explained his position at the public meeting that we hold each day. However, he didn’t respond to our request to do so. Instead he sent an invitation to a meeting that was to be held behind closed doors. We would only have been allowed to send a delegation of five people. This is not how it works, we want to be able to talk about this in a spirit of openess" one of the activists told VRT News.
"We are very disappointed, we believe that transparency is paramount. We have been asking for dialogue and clear action for months. We now have no choice other than to take further more radical action”, the activists said in a press statement.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor is refraining from comment for the time being. The University’s press offices says that he will await the result of talks with others involved in the management of the university before issuing a public response.