Irish academics have condemned research institutions who fund Israeli research and called for a moratorium on collaborations with Israeli Universities.
The group, Academics for Justice, made the call in a letter to the Irish Times on 16th September, the anniversary of the start of the massacre in Sabra and Shatila, Ireland’s Boycott Israel day.
Many national and European cultural and research institutions regard Israel as a European state for the purposes of awarding grants and contracts.
Signed by over sixty academics, the letter condemns Israel’s occupation and human rights abuses and demand that academics undertake boycott as a ‘practical action’ to pressure Israel into compliance with international law and basic human rights norms.
On 5th August, the Irish Foreign affairs committee unanimously approved a statement condemning the Occupationâs war crimes and calling on the government to ask for sanctions against Apartheid Israel in the framework of the Euromed Trade Agreement.
The Letter from Academics for Justice to the Irish Times
Madam, – There is widespread international condemnation of Israel’s policy of violent repression against the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and its aggression against the people of Lebanon. The Israeli government appears impervious to moral appeals from world leaders and to long-standing United Nations resolutions.
We feel it is time to heed the Palestinian call to take practical action to pressure Israel to comply with international law and basic human rights norms.
Many national and European cultural and research institutions, including those funded by the EU, regard Israel as a European state for the purposes of awarding grants and contracts.
We call for a moratorium on any further such support to Israeli academic institutions, at both national and European levels. We urge our fellow academics to support this moratorium by refraining, where possible, from further joint collaborations with Israeli academic institutions.
Such a moratorium should continue until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories. – Yours, etc,
HOUNAIDA ABI HAIDAR, Dept of Geography, TCD; Dr KIERAN ALLEN, School of Sociology, UCD; Prof JAMES ANDERSON, School of Geography, Queen’s University Belfast; Prof IVANA BACIK, School of Law, TCD; KEN BOND, Dept of Zoology, Ecology & Plant Science, UCC; Prof JAMES BOWEN, Dept of Computer Science, UCC; Dr BARBARA BRADBY, Dept of Sociology, TCD; HARRY BROWNE, School of Media, DIT; NOREEN BYRNE, Dept of Food Business & Development, UCC; Dr JOSEPH CLEARY, Dept of English, NUI Maynooth; Prof JOHN COAKLEY, School of Politics and International Relations, UCD; Dr STEVE COLEMAN, Dept of Anthropology, NUI Maynooth; DENIS CONDON, Centre for Media Studies, NUI Maynooth; Dr LAURENCE COX, Dept of Sociology, NUI Maynooth; Dr COLIN COULTER, Dept of Sociology, NUI Maynooth; Prof SEAMUS DEANE, Institute for Irish Studies, University of Notre Dame; MARY ELDIN, WERRC, School of Social Justice, UCD; Dr NAZIH ELDIN, Head of Health Promotion, Dublin North East; Dr ADEL FARRAG, Dept of Electronic Engineering, Institute of Technology, Tallaght; Prof TADHG FOLEY, Dept of English & Chair of the Board, Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway; CATHERINE FORDE, Dept of Applied Social Studies, UCC; Dr KATHY GLAVANIS, Dept of Sociology, UCC; Prof LUKE GIBBONS, Dept of English, University of Notre Dame; Dr BRIAN HANLEY, Dept of Modern History, TCD; Dr DEANNA HEATH, Dept of Modern History, TCD; CONN HOLOHAN, School of Media Studies, University of Ulster; MARNIE HOLBOROW, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, DCU; Dr KEVIN HOURIHAN, Dept of Geography, UCC; Dr CAROLE JONES, Dept of English, TCD; SINEAD KENNEDY, Dept of English, Mater Dei Institute of Education; Dr HEATHER LAIRD, Dept of English, UCC; DAVID LANDY, Dept of Sociology, TCD; Dr STEVE LOYAL, School of Sociology, UCD; Dr SEOSAMH MAC MUIR?, Rann?g na Gaeilge, Roinn na dTeangacha agus an Léinn Chult?ir, Ollscoil Luimnigh; Dr BREAND?N MAC SUIBHNE, Institute for Irish Studies, University of Notre Dame; Prof BRIAN MAGUIRE, Head of Faculty of Fine Art, NCAD; Prof JOHN MAGUIRE, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, UCC; Dr SANDRA McAVOY, Women’s Studies, UCC; PIARAS MAC ?INR?, Dept of Geography, UCC; Dr CONOR McCARTHY, Dept of English, NUI Maynooth; Dr CATHAL McCALL, School of Politics, International Studies & Philosophy, Queen’s University Belfast; CAROLINE McHUGH, Dept of Geography, NUI Galway; Dr DES McGUINNESS, School of Communications, Dublin City University; Dr BILL McSWEENEY, Irish School of Ecumenics, TCD; MONTSERRAT FARGAS MALET, School of Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast; Dr JOHN NASH, Dept of English, TCD; Dr EMER NOLAN, Dept of English, NUI Maynooth; Dr F?ILIM ? HADHMAILL, Dept of Applied Social Studies, UCC; GARRETT O’BOYLE, Political Scientist; Dr EAMON O CIARDHA, School of Languages and Literature, University of Ulster; GEAR?ID ? CUIN, Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway; Dr RUAN O’DONNELL, Historian; Prof PATRICK 0’FLANAGAN, Dept of Geography, UCC; Prof DENIS O’HEARN, School of Sociology, Queen’s University Belfast; Dr LIONEL PILKINGTON, Dept of English, NUI Galway; JIM ROCHE, Dept of Architecture, DIT; Dr AILBHE SMYTH, WERRC, School of Social Justice, UCD; Dr ANDY STOREY, Centre for Development Studies, UCD; Dr GAVAN TITLEY, Centre for Media Studies, NUI Maynooth; Dr HILARY TOVEY, Dept of Sociology, TCD; Dr THERESA URBAINCZYK, School of Classics, UCD.
Visit https://academicsforjustice.org