PARIS: A French university has cut academic ties with an Israeli higher education institution accusing it of “warmongering” stances over the Gaza conflict, French media has reported, drawing criticism from French officials.
The Political Studies Institute (Sciences Po) in Strasbourg announced to cut ties with Israel’s Reichman University. This announcement follows widespread protests in France and beyond, where university students have called for a ceasefire and voiced support for Palestinian rights.
The decision, initially reported by Dernieres Nouvelles d’Alsace, was supported by students and faculty members who argued that Reichman University’s position on the Gaza war lacks a “humanist perspective.”
Jean-Philippe Heurtin, the institute’s director, confirmed his opposition to the decision but said that the university board, which includes students, voted in favour of the move.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot denounced the decision. He told BFMTV that “it’s not this university that today is bombing Lebanon or Gaza.
France’s Higher Education Minister Patrick Hetzel also criticized the decision, expressing regret on X, formerly known as Twitter, over the board’s choice to sever relations with the Israeli university.
This move aligns with growing calls in Europe for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions as part of the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. The BDS movement, which calls for academic, cultural, and economic boycotts of Israel, claims that Israeli universities contribute to the development of military technology used in conflicts involving Gaza and Lebanon.
Reichman University previously faced criticism for awarding an honorary degree to an Israeli military commander involved in the fatal shooting of a Palestinian teenager. The incident was brought up during debates over the decision in Strasbourg.
Calls for boycotts of Israeli institutions have gained traction among activists. In a recent protest, climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in Copenhagen after demonstrating for a boycott of Israeli academia.
