Students in Belgium at two key universities have occupied campus buildings in solidarity with Palestinians, and are calling for an end to academic collaboration with Israeli institutions.
On Monday, around 40 activists from the Palestine Solidarity Network group staged an occupation at the Dutch-speaking Free University of Brussels (VUB) in Etterbeek. At KU Leuven, around 70 have initiated a building occupation to protest collaborations with Israeli universities on the same day.
In Brussels, the VUB activists targeted criticised the university's academic links with Israel, and asked for an academic boycott similar to that recently implemented by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE).
The group had been planning the occupation for several weeks and had informed the rector of their intentions. The activists set up sleeping areas for dozens of students and study spaces in preparation for exams.
“This occupation is part of global student protests advocating a free Palestine and an academic boycott of Israel,” emphasised Isa Tomasevic, one of the occupation’s organisers. The students intended to occupy the building “for as long as necessary.”
VUB had previously flagged its review of seven ongoing research projects involving an Israeli partner amidst the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, the university stated its intention to withdraw from a scientific study on artificial intelligence (AI) involving Bar-Ilan University. This followed a negative evaluation from the ethics committee, which prompted consultation with the European Commission over its withdrawal.
This announcement spurred the Palestine Solidarity Network activists to bring forward their called occupation to ‘maintain pressure’ on the institution.
Call for academic boycott
The network demands the immediate cessation of academic collaborations with Israeli academic institutions, and companies supporting the occupation of Palestine. The group also wants the VUB to disclose its relationships with Israeli entities listed by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. According to Tomasevic, “it’s entirely possible to foster partnerships with companies not involved in the Israeli apartheid system.”
Lastly, the students expect Jan Danckaert, VUB’s chancellor, to pressure the Flemish Interuniversity Council to follow the stance adopted by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities, which decided last weekend to sever all its academic ties with Israeli institutions.
In Leuven, students sat down with university rector, Luc Sels, last Tuesday to debate their requests, but feel their months-long dialogue has failed to yield tangible results.
Despite the student protest, KU Leuven reiterated last week that the university does not wish to equate Israeli academic institutions with politics. Niels De Ridder, a Ph.D student at KU Leuven, argues otherwise: "These universities are financially backed by the Israeli state and provide technology for the Israeli military. These institutions also ideologically support the Israeli military, making continued collusion unacceptable."
So far, the student protest has not disrupted access to lecture halls, allowing normal class schedules to proceed. Protesters plan to continue their sit-in until KU Leuven cancels its projects with Israeli academic institutions. "We will remain until significant action has been taken by university leadership to end these relations. We've set no deadline," De Ridder adds.
