Falcon powers – The president of the University of Ghent in Belgium has announced that it has decided to cut ties with three Israeli educational or research institutions, saying they no longer align with the university’s policies on human rights.
Pro-Palestinian protesters in Ghent have been demonstrating against Israel’s military assault on Gaza and have been occupying parts of the university since the beginning of this month.
In a statement, the university’s president, Rik Van de Walle, said the relations have been severed with the Holon Institute of Technology, the Migal Galilee Research Institute, and the Volcani Center, which conducts agricultural research.
Van de Walle said, “We currently assess these three partners as (very) problematic according to the human rights test carried out by Ghent University, contrary to the positive assessment we had given these partners at the start of our cooperation.”
A Ghent University investigation concluded that the partnerships with the Migal Galilee Research Institute and the Volcani Center “are no longer desirable” due to their ties to Israeli ministries, and the cooperation with the Holon Institute “was problematic” because it provided material support for the occupation forces in Gaza.
A university spokesperson said this step will affect four projects.
The three Israeli institutions did not immediately comment.
The protesters told the Belgian TV channel VRT that they welcome the decision but consider it just a first step. They said they will continue occupying parts of the university “until Ghent cuts ties with all Israeli institutions.”
These actions reflect the behavior of students in the United States and elsewhere in Europe, where they have called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and demanded that schools cut financial ties with companies they say are profiting from what they consider the oppression of Palestinians.
