Staff at Groningen University Criticise Refusal to Cut Israeli Ties
Academics criticise leadership for maintaining partnerships with Israeli institutions and call for urgent human rights-based policies.
University of Groningen (RUG) employees have openly criticised the Executive Board for refusing to cut or pause academic partnerships with Israeli universities during the ongoing Gaza conflict. Staff members view this position as inconsistent and ethically problematic.
What's Happening?
This summer, over 200 staff members signed an open letter asking RUG to immediately end ties with any Israeli institution accused of human rights violations. They requested full transparency about current partnerships and clear explanations if the university planned to continue these relationships. Critics say the Board is using academic freedom as an excuse, while others argue that freedom cannot exist when basic human rights are violated.
In response, the Board has formed a committee—connected to the Knowledge Security Advisory Team—to review all international partnerships. Results are expected after summer, which many staff consider too slow. Staff members point out that universities in Belgium and other Dutch institutions have acted faster by already adopting human rights policies and pausing certain partnerships.
Why the Conflict?
Amsterdam, Utrecht, Radboud, Eindhoven, and other Dutch universities have faced growing protests—including campus camps and building takeovers—demanding they cut ties with Israeli universities. At institutions like Radboud and Utrecht, students and faculty have disrupted academic activities with protests and occupations, some requiring police intervention.
RUG staff argue that Groningen remains one of the few universities refusing to take such steps. They state that partnerships—even those outside military or security research—carry moral significance given Israel's alleged violations and genocide in Gaza.
What Are Staff Demanding?
Their formal demands include:
Immediate disclosure of all partnerships with Israeli institutions
Withdrawal and boycott of those involved in alleged violations
Clear transparency and accountability from the institution
Proper protection protocols for protest safety and privacy, especially after introducing protest rules and campus surveillance cameras without full staff or student approval
Staff also support the principle that when facing genocide, staying neutral equals being complicit—citing the University's earlier position during Ukraine as inconsistent with its current stance on Gaza.
RUG's Position
The Executive Board points to academic freedom and institutional neutrality, noting that they only collaborate on non-sensitive academic projects with three Israeli universities, none connected to military or security areas. They prefer to wait until the committee finishes its review and maintain that RUG is "not a political institution," echoing previous statements by national university leadership.
Staff argue that such reviews are delay tactics, pointing to university-wide trends where many institutions have already made changes or suspended ties based on ethical concerns.
The Dutch Campus Movement
The unrest at RUG reflects a broader pattern across the Netherlands—with universities like UvA, Utrecht, Maastricht, Radboud, and VU Amsterdam strongly challenged by pro-Palestinian movements demanding divestment and transparency. Some institutions eventually suspended or ended partnerships, while others responded by cracking down on protests.
At the European level, over 2,000 European researchers petitioned to end EU funding to Israeli universities under the Horizon Europe program, citing involvement in human rights abuses.
What started as a staff protest has become a question of institutional values. For students and staff, Groningen University's inaction or slow response is seen as morally and politically unacceptable. The university faces a choice: maintain its neutral academic position, or align itself with the ethical demands of its community.