In the wake of student protests, Ghent University (UGent) has ended its co-operation with three academic institutions in Israel. Initially UGent’s Vice-Chancellor Rik Van de Walle didn’t intend to bow to pressure from protesting students and some university staff to temporarily suspend cooperation with Israel. However, now the university’s Human Rights Committee has also called for cooperation with 3 Israeli academic institutions to be suspended, the Vice-Chancellor is now investigation how cooperation with these institutions can be stopped.
As has been the case at other universities in Belgium, students at UGent have called for an end to cooperation with all Israeli academic institutions. They have been doing so as a reaction to the conflict in Gaza. The protesters at UGent say that they wish to prevent their university from being indirectly involved in the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the conflict in Gaza.
Under pressure from the demonstrating students, UGent’s Vice-Chancellor Rik Van de Walle convened a meeting of the university’s Human Rights Committee on Thursday to discuss the issue of ending cooperation with Israeli UGent’s partners. The committee found that that 3 of the institutions with which Ghent University cooperates are involved in the production of army material and/or are owned by the Israeli authorities.
Cooperation between UGent and the following academic institutions will be suspended: Holon Institute of Technology, MIGAL Galilee Research Institute and Volcani Centre (Agricultural Research Organisation of Israel).
The protests will continue
In an initial reaction, the students demonstrating against the collaboration with Israel say that the recommendations of the UGent’s Human Rights Committee and the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to follow them are a first step towards an academic boycott.
However, this does not mean that the 300 or so students living in a tent camp inside a Ghent university building will end their protest: "We will continue until UGent cuts its ties with all Israeli institutions."