{"id":137794,"date":"2022-03-16T14:15:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T13:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=137794"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:12","slug":"the-rights-forum-demands-full-cooperation-with-information-request","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/03\/16\/the-rights-forum-demands-full-cooperation-with-information-request\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rights Forum demands full cooperation with information request"},"content":{"rendered":"

The research institute, which focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, submitted Freedom of Information request <\/a>to all Dutch universities in January. It\u2019s looking for documentation on Dutch higher education\u2019s ties with organisations that ‘promote support for the State of Israel’.<\/p>\n

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In May, students hung banners for a boycott of Israel on the facade of Erasmus University College.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

The request was met with outrage<\/a> and accusations of anti-Semitism. Ultimately, the universities agreed to comply with the request, but only in part<\/a>. They are willing to disclose details of their ties with organisations in Israel \u2013 which The Rights Forum had also requested \u2013 but not of their relationships with \u2018Dutch and international organisations in the domain of religion, commemoration or the fight against anti-Semitism\u2019.<\/p>\n

Response<\/h2>

The Rights Forum responded last week. The institute called<\/a> the universities\u2019 decision \u2018unacceptable\u2019 and believes they have succumbed to \u2018a campaign of libel and slander\u2019 in which criticism of Israel is equated with anti-Semitism.<\/p>\n

Now, the issue will likely have to be resolved in court. It will then be up to a judge to determine whether the universities should be allowed to invoke the grounds for exception in the Dutch Freedom of Information Act.<\/p>\n\n\t

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