After the adoption of a text which “reaffirms the confidence” of the establishment in the Israeli university, five teacher-researchers announced their resignation from the board of directors.
The Strasbourg Institute of Political Studies (IEP) announced this Thursday, December 18, that it was “renewing the favorable opinion” of its partnership with Reichman University in Herzliya, Israel, which had been suspended in June in the context of the conflict. in Gaza.
Meeting on Wednesday evening, the establishment’s Board of Directors adopted a text which “reaffirms the confidence” of Sciences Po Strasbourg in Reichman University and expresses “its support for the continuation of the partnership”, indicates Jean-Philippe Heurtin, the director of the IEP, in a press release. The text was voted on with 14 votes for, 1 against and 4 abstentions, while 14 members of the board of directors did not take part in the vote.
Patrick Hetzel, resigning Minister in charge of Higher Education, applauded on X “a salutary decision which reaffirms the values of university cooperation in the face of partisan excesses”.
Five resignations
Conversely, five teacher-researchers announced their resignation from the board of directors after this vote, which they described as a “denial of democracy” while denouncing the “numerous internal and external pressures” surrounding the vote.
“We refuse to be complicit with a university which supports the massacre of civilians and military operations contrary to international law in Gaza, Lebanon and now in Syria”, write in a press release Vincent Dubois, Michel Fabreguet, Valérie Lozac’h , Jérémy Sinigaglia and Nadine Willmann.
The Board of Directors of Sciences Po Strasbourg recalled “the private nature of Reichman University, which means its full financial independence from the Israeli government”.
He also noted the “diversity of positions concerning illiberal reforms and the conduct of war” among professors-researchers at Reichman University, and the presence among them of “critical voices” against the current government. Israeli.
He argues that this university’s support for the Israeli armed forces “is limited to the collection of foodstuffs, the provision of psychological support and attention to mobilized reservist students.”
Resigned teachers denounce links “with the army”
Conversely, the teacher-researchers who resigned from the board of directors denounced the links of Reichman University “with the army and “the enlistment of students in propaganda activities”.
The establishment’s Board of Directors also adopted another motion calling for “join all the social and political forces who are demanding an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.”
On December 3, a previous Board of Directors of the establishment, with the same agenda, was prevented by the irruption of students. The suspension of the partnership between Sciences po Strasbourg and Reichman University was voted on in June but made public in October.
This decision was the result of a motion presented by the Solidarit’Etudiants list which, while condemning “unreservedly the terrorist attack suffered by the Israeli population on October 7, 2023”, denounced the positions of Reichman University, “deeply warmongering and devoid of any humanist perspective (…) with regard to the ongoing war in Gaza”.
This suspension sparked numerous reactions within the political class. Jean-Noël Barrot, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, considered the decision “distressing”.
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