Irish, Swiss univs cut Zionist links, Norway, Germany keep ties
DUBLIN/OSLO/BERLIN: Ireland's prestigious Trinity College Dublin said on Wednesday that it would cut all links with the Zionist entity in protest at 'ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law'. The university's board informed students by email on Wednesday that it had accepted the recommendations of a taskforce to sever 'institutional links with (the Zionist entity), (Zionist) universities and companies headquartered in (the Zionist entity)'.
The recommendations would be 'enacted for the duration of the ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law', said the email sent by the board's chairman Paul Farrell, and seen by AFP. The taskforce was set up after part of the university's campus in central Dublin was blockaded by students for five days last year in protest at the Zionist entity's actions in Gaza. Among the taskforce's recommendations approved by the board were pledges to divest 'from all companies headquartered in (the Zionist entity)' and to 'enter into no future supply contracts with (Zionist) firms' and 'no new commercial relationships with (Zionist) entities'. The university also said that it would 'enter into no further mobility agreements with (Zionist) universities'.
Trinity has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements with Zionist universities: Bar Ilan University, an agreement that ends in July 2026, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, the university told AFP in an email. The board also said that the university 'should not submit for approval or agree to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving (Zionist) participation'. It 'should seek to align itself with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning (the Zionist entity's) participation in such collaborations,' it added. The University of Geneva also announced Wednesday that it has ended its partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem following student protests, saying it no longer reflected the institution's 'strategic priorities'.
The Norwegian parliament on Wednesday rejected moves to toughen rules on its sovereign wealth fund investing in companies operating in the occupied West Bank. Lawmakers voted by 88 to 16 against a proposal to order the fund to withdraw from companies 'that contribute to (the Zionist entity's) war crimes and the illegal occupation' of the West Bank.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund, fueled by vast revenue from the country's oil and gas exports, is the biggest the world and has nearly $1.65 trillion invested around the globe. The government though is under pressure to use its financial clout to influence Zionist policy in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, where its settlement policy has been deemed illegal under international law.
In a letter signed by about 50 non-governmental organizations, Norway's main union LO called on the Labour government to ensure that the fund's investments were in line with the country's legal obligations. The UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories on May 20 urged Oslo to 'fully and unconditionally divest from all entities linked to (the Zionist entity's) unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory'.
Francesca Albanese said Norway's fund held $121.5 billion — or 6.9 percent of its total value — in companies 'involved in supporting or enabling egregious violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories'. Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg said the fund's investments 'do not violate Norway's obligations under international law'. The fund is regulated by a raft of ethical rules and has already divested from 11 companies because of their activities in the occupied West Bank. In May, it withdrew its investment in Paz Retail and Energy, which distributes fuel in Zionist settlements.
Meanwhile, Germany's foreign minister said on Wednesday that the country would continue arms deliveries to the Zionist entity despite earlier suggesting that these were under review. Johann Wadephul told a heated session in parliament that the Zionist entity, amid its military campaign in Gaza, was under threat from Yemen's Houthi rebels, the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran, and that 'Germany will continue to support (the Zionist entity), including with weapons deliveries'.
Last week, Wadephul said that Germany was assessing 'whether what is happening in Gaza is in line with international law' and that arms sales to the Zionist entity would be evaluated on this basis. This brought criticism from some within Wadephul's own CDU/CSU conservative alliance, who accused him of insufficient support for the Zionist entity. On Thursday, Wadephul will welcome his Zionist counterpart Gideon Saar to Berlin.
Wednesday's parliamentary session was briefly disrupted by a protester shouting 'Free Palestine' and 'No to genocide', who was then escorted from the spectators' gallery. Earlier, an MP for the far-left Die Linke party, Cansin Kokturk, was ordered to leave the chamber for wearing a T-shirt with the word 'Palestine' on it.
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