If you had to say something critical about the student protest against Israel’s war in Gaza that is now slowly emerging at our universities, it would be that the resistance started rather late. The Israeli army has been waging its ruthless war in Gaza for more than half a year now.
Israel exceeds all limits of reason, of legitimate retaliation after the bloody terrorist raid by Hamas on October 7 and in many cases also of the laws of war. Tens of thousands of victims have already died from the violence, including many children. Then you can expect that a group of young progressive students will think something of it.
Some academics and leaders are crying shame as students occupy buildings and want to pressure their university to cut professional ties with Israel. Well now now. Those controversialists may think so, as long as they realize that so much conservativeness points to their own advancing age and worldview. Vigorous student protest is part of the rituals of a living democracy. Without student resistance, they would still talk about it in Leuven l’université.
Then it will all remain nice and small-scale in Ghent for the time being. The students promise not to prolong the fight unnecessarily, will tidy up everything neatly and will not get in anyone’s way. That used to be different. If she keeps her word, she appears to have been brought up properly, the youth of today.
Of course, it is true that protest does not mean that the university must immediately bow its head. You can have a fascinating debate about whether it makes sense to sever all ties with the academic world in Israel, and nuanced answers are also allowed. Because some universities in Israel themselves are places where democratic resistance to the policies of the Netanyahu government is stimulated and substantively nourished. Then it could be counterproductive to also isolate those universities in a boycott.
The student protest may be polite and symbolic, but it does raise pressing questions. Should you continue to collaborate with a university that is located in occupied Palestinian territory and that unilaterally committed itself to supporting the Israeli army during the war? Should you continue to collaborate with a university that is proud of its contribution to the technological dominance of the Israeli army?
The status quo that the Ghent university board provides in response to these and other questions does not only disappoint the protesting students and academics. It is a missed opportunity to think more carefully about what means, large and small, we also have here in Europe to moderate Israel’s war policy and at least finally give a ceasefire a chance.
The intention of the federal De Croo government to discuss partial trade sanctions at European level may not yield much, but it is certainly a braver and wiser position.
Tags: crying shame students pressuring university cut ties Israel
