Belgian universities: help us terminate the EU treaty with Israel

Belgian universities are urging the European Council to provide clarity and terminate the cooperation treaty with Israel. However, European foreign ministers failed to reach a conclusion on Monday afternoon.

“We are being left to our fate”, complained the rector of KU Leuven, Luc Sels, on Saturday in an interview with the student magazine Veto. The pressure on universities to sever ties with Israeli institutions is substantial. However, ceasing these relationships carries risks, he says. “That constitutes a breach of contract, with legal and financial consequences.”

Universities in Belgium are also facing demonstrations and occupations on campus. Just like in the Netherlands, they must determine how to handle the situation themselves. This makes them vulnerable, say Belgian university administrators in an open letter to, among others, the foreign ministers of EU member states.

The Belgians are asking the ministers to terminate the association treaty between the EU and Israel as soon as possible. This agreement is not only about trade and cultural exchange, but also about scientific cooperation.

Significant research funding

Israel contributes several hundred million euros each year to participate in Horizon, the European programme for scientific research. Israeli researchers have been relatively successful in this area, securing substantial research funding and collaborating extensively with European researchers. This includes research with potential military applications, as was highlighted earlier this month.

So far, universities in the Netherlands and Belgium have set up their own committees to advise on partnerships with Israeli universities or researchers. However, the decision to halt an ongoing project can lead to ‘legal uncertainty, potential damage claims, and reputational damage’ for universities, the ten Belgian institutions stated in their open letter. “Without a clear European framework, it is nearly impossible to legally justify morally responsible choices.”

Human rights

On Monday afternoon, the European ministers of foreign affairs discussed the association treaty in Brussels. They did so at the request of EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas, who is expected to conclude in an unpublished report that Israel is indeed failing to uphold its duty to respect human rights.

Spain intends to use this report to terminate the association treaty, but Germany firmly opposed this on Monday afternoon. Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp also seems reluctant to take such a step. He stated afterwards that Kallas should engage in dialogue with Israel to discuss improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

No common position

In contrast to their Belgian counterpart, the Dutch universities association UNL does not plan to adopt a common position on this matter. Universities should decide for themselves whom they collaborate with, said the spokesperson.

Dutch universities want to first study Kallas’s report. The University of Amsterdam announced on Friday that it would not enter into any new collaborations with Israeli institutions while awaiting the report.

Severing all ties

Meanwhile, a group of twelve critical scholars has produced their own report containing an alternative national guideline for universities. They recommend severing all ties with Israeli universities at the institutional level. They believe that maintaining collaboration with individual researchers from Israel will not jeopardise academic freedom.