Following ongoing protests at the University of Gent, students occupied the campus of the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) on Tuesday morning.
The protesters have said that they are calling on ULB to "immediately and unequivocally break off all forms of collaboration with Zionist academic institutions and companies that participate in the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people."
From 10:00 on Tuesday, students equipped with Palestinian flags and tents arrived to set up camp indefinitely. The movement is following in the footsteps of the UGent, where an occupation began on Monday, as well as US universities and others across the world.
"For over seven months, a genocide has been ongoing without interruption, and the Nakba [mass displacement] has persisted for 76 years," student organisation 'People's University of Brussels' (UPB) stated in a press release. "Faced with these atrocities, ULB has unfortunately maintained academic and commercial collaborations with institutions and companies that support and facilitate the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people."
'Sever all ties'
Students have identified specific relationships which they believe render ULB complicit in Israeli actions in Gaza: research projects with the university of Technion in Haifa, as well as collaborations with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science, and a partnership with Thales, an arms manufacturer which they say is "notorious for its practices that run counter to human rights principles."
The occupation aims to force ULB to sever all these ties. It has also demanded that the former Israeli ambassador to France's visit to campus, scheduled for 3 June, be cancelled.
They have said that their decision to occupy campus is the result of their previous protests being ignored by administration. "This shows a flagrant indifference to the voices and wishes of students, lecturers and staff. This leaves us no choice but to intensify our actions," said UPB.
ULB has released a statement following the occupation of campus. "Like everyone else, the members of ULB were shocked first by the terrible terrorist attack by Hamas and the hostage-taking to which the people of southern Israel were and still are subjected, and then by the disproportionate Israeli military reaction," the university said. It points out that it has suspended collaborations with Tel Aviv University for its links to the destruction of Gaza and says its dealings with Thalys are currently under investigation.
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At a meeting with ULB management, protestors were warned that the building would be evacuated on Tuesday evening. One student told Belga News Agency they were unsure how this would occur, but added that the movement is "determined to regain control of our university."
UPB has issued an open letter which they have urged ULB students and staff members to sign.
The movement renamed Plaine K, the building they have occupied, to 'Walid Daqqa Building', much like Columbia University students in the US renamed Hamilton Hall as 'Hind Hall'.
Daqqa died on 7 April and was the longest-serving Palestinian in Israeli prison. He was imprisoned for 38 years after he was convicted by Israel of commanding a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)-affiliated group that abducted and killed an Israeli soldier. During his time in prison, Daqqa published several books and is considered by many as one of the largest symbols of Palestinian resistance to this day. Hind Rajab was a six-year-old girl killed by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in Gaza on 29 January.
