FALCON POWERS – Based on recommendations from the university’s Human Rights Council, the University of Ghent located in western Belgium has decided to sever ties with its Israeli partners.
The University of Ghent has decided to terminate all forms of collaboration with its Israeli partners, as announced by the university administration following an extended meeting of its Human Rights Committee on Friday morning. Rik Van de Walle, the university’s rector, stated that the university does not wish to be implicated in serious violations of human rights or international law.
Van de Walle elaborated on the details of the decision in a written statement published on the university’s official website. The decision affects 18 joint research projects involving one or more Israeli partners.
After discussions with pro-Palestinian activists, Van de Walle instructed the Human Rights Committee to review all forms of collaboration with Israeli universities and research institutions. Following this review, all ongoing collaborations will be canceled, including research projects that do not contribute to human rights violations. However, the pro-Palestinian activists believe the decision does not go far enough, as they also demand the termination of cooperation with private Israeli companies, arguing that these companies contribute to the war and the ongoing violations of human rights and suffering in Gaza.
They have affirmed that they will continue their efforts until their demands are met.
In response, the University of Ghent has requested time to evaluate this demand.
It is worth noting that the Free University of Brussels, another Belgian university, had decided a few weeks earlier to withdraw from a European Union artificial intelligence project and review all other projects involving Israel, following a “negative assessment” by the university’s Ethics Committee.
