Since its invasion of Gaza in 2023, Israel has murdered more than 66,000 Palestinians. And these are only the official figures, the reality is many times worse.
Meanwhile University College Dublin, which proclaims itself a champion of human rights, is seemingly addicted to entering academic partnerships with Israeli universities that wear their direct complicity in genocide as a badge of honour.
This March, UCD entered the $2.6 million CATALOOP program, an AI research consortium that includes both Technion and Ben-Gurion University. Both of these institutions are cogs in the Zionist war machine. They work closely with Israeli arms companies, host arms fairs for the IDF and even offer training programmes for officers in Israel’s genocidal army. And in January, UCD is scheduled to enter another research project worth $5 million with Technion.
It doesn’t matter to the management of UCD how many tens of thousands of Palestinians are left crushed beneath rubble. They refuse to implement an academic boycott of Israel because doing so would be bad for business. Instead they call in Gardaí to remove peaceful protestors.
The mood in the boardrooms is clear. It is only the combined struggle of students and university staff that can achieve a full academic boycott of the Israeli war machine.
Solidarity with Pro-Palestine activists targeted by UCD
University College Dublin has initiated disciplinary proceedings against two pro-Palestine activists, who attended a student walkout supported by UCDSU and UCD BDS. This is a shameful attack on basic democratic rights! We stand in full solidarity with the two activists!
The two activists stand accused of “shouting allegations that UCD supports acts of genocide”. To be sure, this is not a mere allegation – UCD has active partnerships with Technion and Ben-Gurion University worth over $7 million combined. These two Israeli universities work closely with the genocidal IDF. What would do you call that if not shameful complicity? Make no mistake, this university has blood on its hands!
Instead of addressing their disgusting moral bankruptcy, they resort to all manner of intimidation to silence students for daring to speak out. Whether it’s round-the-clock security presence, surveilling the pro-Palestine encampment outside the grounds of the university, or their unceasing threats of suspensions and expulsions levelled against activists for the simple crime of engaging in peaceful protest.
It is abundantly clear that this latest attempt seeks to make an example of students who challenge this university’s complicity. They are cynically exploiting the visa status of one of the activists in question, threatening his continued education. This act sends a menacing threat to a university made up of 32 percent international students.
Furthermore, the university is already resorting to slimy manoeuvres, such as rescheduling disciplinary hearings at the last minute, in an effort to cut across students’ anger on the question.
Students and staff are repulsed by the conniving attitude UCD has taken toward this genocide. We say: Solidarity with the two activists! UCD cut ties with genocide! Organise against imperialism and war!
