Statement in solidarity with the Palestinian people

We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the war crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the civilian population in Gaza. We express our solidarity with the Palestinian population and call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the blockade.

 

The Israeli regime is responsible for the unfolding of violence. The ongoing Israeli assaults are the most recent evidence of the enduring occupation, which stands as the longest in contemporary times, long before Hamas came to exist. Israeli settler colonialism and apartheid is a Zionist system founded and maintained on ethnic cleansing, land dispossession, illegal annexation, and the denial of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and sovereignty. Statements that now condemn Hamas’ violence exhibit the same selective blindness to the violence perpetrated by Israel and the system that produced Hamas. Framing the Palestinian struggle for liberation as ‘terrorist’ or ‘complex’ is an idle attempt at describing a reality of violent colonial oppression - that historically has (and inevitably will) always lead to colonized peoples’ resistance.

 

For decades, the West has turned a blind eye to the Israeli government’s numerous human rights violations inflicted on innocent Palestinian civilians. The Belgian prime minister, for example, has expressed his full support for Israel despite the racist and genocidal language used by the Israeli government and their desire to eliminate Palestinian citizens. On Monday, October 9th, 2023, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, “we are fighting human animals,” referring to Palestinians, and pledged to “act accordingly.” He declared a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, saying there would be “no electricity, no food, no fuel.”IInternational human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and War Child have branded Gaza as ‘the world’s largest open air prison’ under a 16-year-long illegal blockade, as confirmed by the United Nations and International Red Cross.

 

The Israeli regime’s constant breach of international law has not moved Western institutions to assert their so-called values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, and human rights. In this regard, the UK, USA, France, Italy, and Germany have offered Israel’ steadfast support’ in a joint statement, giving the Israeli regime the green light to commit war crimes and atrocities against the Palestinian population. Therefore, we denounce such a statement from the Quint Leaders and also strongly condemn the European Union’s consistent double standards and lack of political action regarding the genocide and ethnic cleansing committed against the civilian population of Gaza, the ongoing settlement expansion, and settler terrorism in the West Bank, and the apartheid faced by Palestinians in the 1948 territories.

 

Academia’s silence is deafening. The term “decolonise” has been widely used within academia and mainstream media without pointing out its most obvious example of colonial continuity. Decolonization is not a metaphor, nor is it only a theory to be used for intellectual clout. It is about supporting the right for self-determination of Palestinians to live freely and with dignity.

 

We offer this statement to the Palestinian people, whose suffering is not forgotten and whose tenacity and fierce resistance in the face of racism and settler colonialism inspire us. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and commit to working through political, economic, and cultural methods to achieve decolonization and Palestinian liberation. We call on our fellow academics to use this statement to advance solidarity with Palestine and reject the continuous censorship and criminalization of Palestinian support across Europe.

 

The days ahead will demand a resolute stance against colonial reprisals. We strongly urge the academic community in Belgium and worldwide to mobilize and take action to end the continuous destruction of the Palestinians.

 

 

This statement is an initiative of the PhD Community of the Department of Conflict & Development of Ghent University, Belgium. More than 2000 people have signed and supported our collective statement - students, researchers and professors from universities all over the world.

 

You can find the full list of signatures here.

You can sign and support our statement here.

You can find a selection of all signatures below.

 

From the Department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University

Christopher Parker, Professor

Jeroen Adam, Professor

Karen Büscher, Professor

Sami Zemni, Professor

Koen Bogaert, Professor

Maria Martin de Almagro, Professor

Marianne Maeckelbergh, Professor

Anneke Newman, Postdoctoral researcher

Brecht De Smet, Postdoctoral researcher

Jeroen Cuvelier, Postdoctoral researcher

Joachim Ben Yakoub, Postdoctoral researcher

Julie Carlier, Postdoctoral researcher

Lana Salman, Postdoctoral researcher

Max Ajl, Postdoctoral researcher

Omar Jabary Salamanca, Postdoctoral researcher

Sibo Kanobana, Postdoctoral researcher

Soraya El Kahlaoui, Postdoctoral researcher

Aleksandra (Ola) Hall, PhD Candidate

Amina Adebisi Odofin, PhD Candidate

Arthemis Snijders, PhD Candidate

Charlotte Vekemans, PhD Candidate

Clod Marlan Krister Yambao, PhD Candidate

Dunia Daghlas, PhD Candidate

Emmanuel Akampurira, PhD Candidate

Fayrouz Yousfi, PhD Candidate

Haithem Gasmi, PhD Candidate

Jorn Verschuere, PhD Candidate

Jules Bakker, PhD Candidate

Juliette Billiet, PhD Candidate

Krishna Kumar Saha, PhD Candidate

Marta ILL-Raga, PhD Candidate

Marte Beldé, PhD Candidate

Marwa Neji, PhD Candidate

Mary Ann Manahan, PhD Candidate

Maurizio Totaro, PhD Candidate

Medina Moosa, PhD Candidate

Natan De Coster, PhD Candidate

Nathalie Bavurhe, PhD Candidate

Sam Kniknie, PhD Candidate

Sara Weschler, PhD Candidate

Saumya Pandey, PhD Candidate

Sheikh Shams Morsalin, PhD Candidate

Theodoros Karyotis, PhD Candidate

Yasmine Akrimi, PhD Candidate

Roshni Kapur, PhD Candidate

Students from Conflict & Development, Ghent University: Brian Driscoll, Britt Peerlinck, Chaïma El Aïsaoui, Couwtar Dadah, Damianos Kasalias, Dilek güneş Reubens, Eva Beyts, Evelyn Boone, Evy Gijsen, Febe Visart, Flore Wouters, Frederik Guillaume, Giulia Schoofs, Hafsa Zahid, Hannelore Lenssens, Hared Abdifatah, Hebe Willems, Iman Ben Addou, Jack Kirk, Jamari issaka, Jasper Peeters, Juliane Lamvik, Klara Missault, Kobe Goderis, Laetitia Henau, Léane Bergeret, Leen Al Massalma, Lies Evenepoel, Liuva Ramos, Louay Odeh, Louise Macours, Maite Acosta, Maud Menschaert, Mila Noor De Baere, Milou Kuipers, Minte Habtie, Morgane Brasseur, Myrthe Tinel, Naufal Raharema, Nejra Sehagic, Sabrina Odofin, Tille Dewulf, Valentina Horvatić, Valentine Martin, Yeliz Akman, Marieke Bleyaert, Hanne Willems, Freya Sanders, Donya Selahpour, Arnout Schokkaert, Eugénie Simon, Ryan Loosveldt, Sandrine Cools, Martina Mondaini, Annelien Peeters, Zara Elgers, Miri Cecilia Marcella Beyens, Eva Vandenberghe, Vinnie Cuyt, Marie De Cordt, Yaël Bobo

 

Professors from Ghent University and other Belgian universities

Eric Vanhaute, Professor, History, Ghent University

Herman De Ley, Professor, Em. Philosophy, Ghent University

Jan Orbie, Professor, Political Science, Ghent University

Koenraad Stroeken, Professor, Dept Languages and Cultures, Ghent University

Mieke Van Houtte, Professor, Sociologie, Ghent University

Carine Plancke, Professor, Ghent University

Hans Grymonprez,  Professor, Ghent University

Abdellali Hajjat, Professor, ULB

An van Dienderen, Professor, Kask & Conservatorium school of Arts Ghent

Ann Schreppers, Professor, KU Leuven, Antwerpen, Tolkwetenschap

Annemie Leemans, Professor, Department of Communication, University of Antwerp

Arjan Post, Professor, Arabic and Islamic Studies, KU Leuven

Cristina Poza Allepuz, Professor, College of Europe

Dalibor Tomic, Professor, Collège d'Europe de Bruges

David Jamar, Professor, Sociologie, University of Mons

Dounia Bourabain, Professor, School voor sociale wetenschappen, Hasselt University

Gert Van Hecken, Professor, University of Antwerp

Henk de Smaele, Professor, University of Antwerp

Hilde Heynen, Professor, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven

Iman Lechkar, Professor, VUB

Isabel Van Bos, Professor, Royal Academy of Fine Arts Ghent

Jan Cornelis, Professor, ETRO VUB

Jeroen Stevens, Professor, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven

Jihane Sfeir, Professor, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Luce Beeckmans, Professor, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven

Manuel Aalbers, Professor, Division of Geography, KU Leuven

Matthias De Groof, Professor, CW, University of Antwerp

Nadia Fadil, Professor, KU Leuven

Nele Aernouts, Professor, Department of Geography, VUB

Paolo Favero, Professor, University of Antwerp

Petra Van Brabandt, Professor, Sint Lucas Antwerpen School of Arts KdG

Pieter Cools, Professor, Social Work, University of Antwerp

Roschanack Shaery, Professor, University of Antwerp

Tomaso Ferrando, Professor, Institute of development policy, UAntwerpen

Viviana d'Auria, Professor, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven

Wendy Morris, Professor, Luca School of Arts

Wim Wambecq, Professor, KU Leuven

Godart Bakkers, Professor, KASK, school of arts

Guy Woueté, Professor, Erg (ESA, École de recherche Graphique)

Francesca Blockeel, Professor, KU Leuven

Maarten Loopmans, Professor, KU Leuven

Mekhitar Garabedian, Professor, School of arts, Ghent / KASK

Madeline Lutjeharms, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (em.)

Napolitano Valentina, Professor, Aix-Marseille University, AMU, LPED

Flavio ORZARI, Professor, ERG St Luc

Helen Mauli Dowling, Professor, Sint Lucas Antwerpen

Yana Jaspers, Professor, Vakgroep criminologie VUB

Lieven De Cauter, Professor, Department of Architecture, KU Leuven

Ilke Adam, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BIRMM & BSoG)

Vjosa Musliu, Professor, Political Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

 

Selection of International support from Universities in EU, UK & Worldwide

Amanda Alencar, Professor, Department of Media and Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands                  

Anya Topolski, Professor, Radboud University, Netherlands                

Brunilda Pali, Professor, Political Science, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands                     

Christian Henderson, Professor, Leiden University, Netherlands

Cristiana Strava , Professor, School of Middle Eastern Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands   

Lars de Wildt,   Professor, Centre for Religion, Conflict and Globalization / Centre for Media & Journalism Studies (University of Groningen, RUG)            Netherlands     

Daniela Vicherat Mattar, Professor, Leiden University, Netherlands                   

Débora Antunes, Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands            

Dr. Ana C. Uribe Sandoval, Professor, Media & Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands               

Elena Burgos Martinez, Professor, Area Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands            

Faisal Hamadah, Professor, Maastricht University, Netherlands            

Houda Lamqaddam, Professor, Department of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Houssine Alloul, Professor, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands,

Irene van Oorschot, Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands                   

Isabel Awad, Professor, Media and Communication, Erasmus University, Netherlands               

Jeff Handmaker , Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

Josephine Lehaff, Professor, Centre for Media & Journalism Studies, University of Groningen, Netherlands                   

Thomas Verbeek, Professor, Department of Urbanism, TU Delft, Netherlands    

Laura De Vos, Professor, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Radboud University, Netherlands      

Mohsen Harakeh, Professor, ESRIG, University of Groningen, Netherlands       

Rogier van Reekum, Professor  Department of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands                     

Martijn de Koning, Professor, Dep. of Islamstudies, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands

Rosalba Icaza, Professor, Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

Sarah Bracke, Professor, Sociology, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands                   

Willem Schinkel, Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands                       

Yousra Rahmouni Elidrissi, Professor, School of Governance, Utrecht University, Netherlands

Marlene Schäfers, Professor, Utrecht University, Cultural Anthropology, Netherlands                

Zuleika Bibi Sheik, Professor, Utrecht University, Netherlands              

Jan Aart Scholte, Professor, Leiden University, Netherlands                  

Jess Bier, Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands          

Sirine Fattouh, Professor, ESAA, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands  

Luxembourg Corinne, Professor, Geography, Sorbonne Paris Nord University, France   

Christine Habbard, Professor, Philosophy Dept, University of Lille, France                   

Hanane Karimi, Professor, Strasbourg University, France,                     

Lissell Quiroz, Professor, CY Cergy Paris Université, France                

Mathilde Zederman, Professor, University of Paris-Nanterre, France                 

Hela Yousfi      Professor, Université Paris Dauphine,    France 

Marwan Mohammed, Professor , France           

Pierre-Louis Mayaux, Professor , CIRAD, France                                             

Mathilde Zederman, Professor, University of Paris-Nanterre, France     

Nacira GUÉNIF, Professor, University Paris 8, France              

Mariem Guellouz, Professor, Université Paris, France   

Mathieu Tremblin , Professor, ENSAS , France            

Mebarka Kassam, Professor, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, France                

Mona Baker, Professor, University of Oslo, Norway     

Olivia Umurerwa Rutazibwa, Professor , LSE, United Kingdom            

Ray Bush, Professor, Emeritus, University of Leeds, United Kingdom   

Reza Zia-Ebrahimi, Professor, King’s College London, United Kingdom

Katrin Owusu, Professor, Media Goldsmiths, United Kingdom

Sylvie Lomer , Professor, University of Manchester, United Kingdom   

Nivi Manchanda, Professor, Queen Mary university of London, United Kingdom          

Parvathi Menon Professor, School of Law, SOAS University of London, United Kingdom          

Isidoropaolo Casteltrione, Professor, Queen Margaret University, United Kingdom

Hayley Gewer, Professor, University College London, United Kingdom

Nichola Khan, Professor, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom                 

AM Kanngieser , Professor, Royal Holloway University of London, United Kingdom    

Marc Mason, Professor, Westminster Law School, University of Westminster, United Kingdom 

Irene Molina, Professor, Uppsala University, Sweden    

Feras Hammami, Professor, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Carl Cassegård, Professor, Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden                      

Beth Maina Ahlberg, Professor, Sociology, Uppsala University, Sweden

João Florêncio, Professor, Linköpings Universitet, Sweden       

Adrián Groglopo, Professor, Dep. of Social work, University of Gothenburg, Sweden   

Erling Björgvinsson, Professor, HDK-Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Andres Pineda  , Professor, Department of Sust and Plan, Aalborg University, Denmark

Julia Suárez-Krabbe, Professor, Roskilde University, Denmark                        

Jeremy Auerbach, Professor, School of Geography, University College Dublin, Ireland              

Rory Rowan, Professor, Geography, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland      

Patrick Bresnihan, Professor, Geography, Maynooth University, Ireland

Sarah Jay, Professor, Department of psychology, University of Limerick, Ireland                       

Jose Mansilla , Professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain    

Johanna M. Lems, Professor, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain                      

Valerio della Sala, Professor, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Geography, Spain     

Sladjana Lazicn, Professor, Unit for Peace& Conflict Studies, Uni.Innsbruck, Austria                

Federica Pucci  Professor, Università per Stranieri di Perugia, Italy                   

Andrea d’Avossa, Professor, Università l’Orientale, Napoli, Italy          

Ugo Rossi, Professor, Gran Sasso Science Institute, Italy                      

Stefano Boni, Professor,  Universita di Modena e Reggio, Italy             

Elisabetta longari, Professor, Accademia di belle arti di Brera, Italy                   

Lucrezia Cippitelli, Professor, Brera Academy, Milan, Italy                    

Agustin Lao-Montes, Professor, Articulacion Regional Afrodescendiente ARAAC, Cuba

 Cecilia Laskowski, Professor, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Aldo Parra, Professor, Mathematics Department, University of Cauca, Colombia

Mariana Serrano, Professor, Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

Juan Guillermo Ferro, Professor, Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

Magda González, Professor, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Colombia

Diana Aguiar, Professor, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil

José Mattos, Professor, Fluminense Federal University, Brazil   

Vanessa Neto, Professor, Faculty of Education – UFMS, Brazil 

Viviana Gomez Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile

Pilar Peña, Professor, Campus Villarrica, Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile  

Glenda Daniels, Professor, Media Studies Wits University, South Africa

Arianna Lissoni , Professor, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Nicky Falkof, Professor, Wits University, South Africa

 Rima Majed, Professor SOAM, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Sari Hanafi, Professor, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

 Ian Seda-Irizarry, Professor, Economics, John Jay College, City University of New York , USA

Aarushi Bhandari, Professor, Sociology at Davidson College, USA

Alana Anton, Professor Sociology, Shaw University, USA

Melissa Castillo, Professor, City University of New York, USA

Michaelle Browers, Professor, Wake Forest University, USA

Olivia C. Harrison, Professor, Department of French and Italian, University of Southern California, USA

Zahra Ali, Professor, Rutgers University-Newark, USA

Fabiola Hanna, Professor, School of Media Studies, The New School, NYC, USA

Ujju Aggarwal, Professor, The New School, USA

Dina Al-Kassim, Professor, California Scholars for Academic Freedom, USA

Brittnay L. Proctor, Professor, The New School, USA

David Klein, Emeritus Professor of Math, Cal State Northridge, USA

Melissa Friedling, Professor, The New School, USA

Svati Shah, Professor, Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, University of Massachusetts, USA

Soraya Tlatli, Professor, UC Berkeley, USA

Stuart Schaar, Professor, History, emeritus Brooklyn College, CUNY, USA

Jairo Funez, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA

Paola Bacchetta , Professor, University of California, USA

Khaled Abou El Fadl, Professor , UCLA School of Law, USA

Laura Y. Liu, Professor, The New School, USA

Sondra Haleq, Professor, Anthropology & Gender Studies, UCLA, USA

Cassius Adair, Professor, The New School, USA

Lana Lin, Professor, Media Studies, The New School, USA

Dr. Sé Sullivan, Professor, UA, USA

Andria Wisler, Professor, Justice and Peace Studies, Georgetown University, USA

Zakia Salime, Professor, Rutgers University, USA

Rabab Abdulhadi, Professor, Arab & Muslim Ethnicities & Diasporas Studies, USA

Massa Lemu, Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA

Amir Husak, Professor, The New School, USA

Ahlam Muhtaseb, Professor, California State University, San Bernardino, USA

Lara Deeb, Professor, Anthropology and MENA Studies, Scripps College, USA

Yahya Sseremba, Professor, Makerere Institute of Social Research, Uganda

Iman Bugaighis, Professor, Libyan authority for scientific Research, Libya

Driss Ksikes, Professor, HEM – Rabat, Morocco

Fouad Ben Ahmed, Professor, Quarawiyyin University, Morocco

Giuliano Martiniello, Professor,  Université Internationale de Rabat, Morocco

Lahcen Ameziane, Professor, University Mohammed V Rabat, Morocco

Chekir Hafidha, Retired Professor, Feminist activist and currently vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Tunisia

Mohamed HNID, Professor, Higher institute of technology Bizerte, Tunisia

Hassène Kassar, Professor, Université de Tunis, Tunisia

Sonia Fitouri, Professor, Université de Tunis,Tunisia

Karim Ben Kahla, Professor, Tunis High school of Commerce, Tunisia

Raja Gmir, Professor, Faculté des sciences humaines et sociales Tunis, Tunisia

Yasmina Kefi Ghodbane, Professor, Faculty of Humanities and social sciences of Tunis, Tunisia

ESSAIDI Mouna, Professor, Faculté des sciences humaines et sociales, Tunisia

Thouraya Belkahia, Professor, Université de Tunis, Tunisia

Chaabouni Jamil, Professor, Université Sfax, Tunisia

Zouhair Bouhouli, Professor, Département d'arabe FSHST Tunis, Tunisia                                 

Olfa Boukraa, Professor, Fshst, Tunisia                                                                                                                                   

Assia Ben Messaoud, Professor, FSHST; French Department, Tunisia

Abdeljelil Chammam, Professor, Electrical Engineering Department- ENSIT, Tunisia

Abdallah Ben Abdallah, Professor, University of Sfax, Tunisia

Houneida Hafsa, Professor, Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales de Tunis, Tunisia

Hayet Amamou, Professor, Histoire, Université Tunis, Tunisia

Insaf Machta, Professor, Faculté des sciences humaines et sociales de Tunis, Tunisia

Sümeyye Sakarya, Professor, Political Science and Public Administration, Ankara University, Turkey

Önder Çakırtaş, Professor, English Literature, Bingöl University, Turkey

Andrea Gallo, Professor, Samarkand state institute of foreign languages, Uzbekistan

Megan Youdelis, Professor, Woodsworth College, University of Toronto, Canada

Deborah Cowen, Professor, Geography & Planning, University of Toronto, Canada

Amy Bartholomew, Professor, Legal Studies/Political Economy Carleton U, Canada

Diana Cordoba, Professor, Queen's University, Canada

Mandy Turner, Professor, University of Manchester, UK

Mattias Bengtsson, Professor, Sociology and Work Science, Univ. of Gothenburg, Sweden

Wafa Abid, Professor, Faculté des Sciences Humaines et Sociales de Tunis, Tunisia

Josh Scannell, Professor, School of Media Studies, The New School, USA

Alma Hafsi, Professor, Psychologie université de Tunis, Tunisia

Sarra HAFSA, Professor, Higher Institute of Management of Gabes, Tunisia

Stephanie Fetta, Professor, University of Massachusetts, USA

Samia BEN YOUSSEF, Professor, University of Tunis, Tunisia

Sophie Withaeckx, Professor, Maastricht University, Netherlands

Karim Souanef, Professor, Université de Lille, France

Mary Greene, Professor, Wageningen University, Netherlands

 

and many more