Academic challenges in light of current events:

Lately, Israeli universities have been vilified for links to the Israel Defense Forces, the supposition being that we are either directly culpable for our government’s actions or an agency of the military.

We need to be clear: Israeli academia is independent of the government and military, and it operates autonomously in all academic matters. According to the 2024 Academic Freedom Index, which measures the state of academic freedom worldwide, Israeli universities are on par with universities in Norway, Canada, and Switzerland in upholding academic freedoms; moreover, we are ahead of countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Faculty at Israeli Institutions make their own decisions on what to study and how to do so. As in just about every other country, some researchers at our universities, in accordance with their academic freedom and rights, do research on subjects related to national security. Such projects, of course, represent only a small percentage of the research conducted at each of our universities and certainly do not turn our universities into military agencies.

Moreover, as democratic institutions of higher learning, who have a meritbased system of employment, our academic community does not speak with one voice when it comes to the current war, or almost any other subject. World-class research across our campuses also goes into incisive questions about Israel’s governmental and military policies in the current conflict. Our campuses are places where contentious issues are debated based on reason and fact, including all aspects of the war in Gaza.

A claim has been made that our universities are guilty parties since many of our students are also reserve soldiers. First, we are not the only university in the world to have students who serve. But moreover, as you must know, Israel is a small country; most young people here are required by law to enlist in the army when they are 18, and they later serve in the reserves. Since October 7th, many in our communities were enlisted. At the height of the war, approximately 25% of our students were called up for duty. These students, as well as some faculty members, risked their lives to protect their families, communities, and country, and participate in the effort to return the hostages still held in Gaza. Unfortunately, each university counts students and faculty who were killed in action. For those students who have returned, we have a duty to support their reintegration and their mental health. We are proud of the way we perform this duty, as we are sure every university in the world would be.

All Israeli universities are actively and extensively engaged in projects
aiming to promote equality between Jews and Arabs. 18% of our students are Muslim, Christian or Druze Arabs, a figure that closely reflects their percentage in Israel’s population. In addition, over the years, hundreds of Palestinian students from the West Bank and Gaza have studied in our universities. This reality is the result of extensive efforts and demonstrates the commitment of each one of our universities to equality and diversity and to promoting social mobility. These efforts include providing extensive programs of financial aid and fellowships for Arab students in all degree levels, including programs specifically encouraging and supporting promising candidates in advanced degree and post-doctoral programs.

The universities work hard to nurture multi-cultural campuses, taking seriously their responsibility to do so given that the period of study at the university is sometimes the first opportunity for meaningful positive interaction between Jews and Arabs. This requires not only recruiting diverse faculty members and students, but also creating a welcoming atmosphere and fostering meaningful learning opportunities across campus.

For decades, Israeli universities have spearheaded hundreds of projects and initiatives aimed at promoting peaceful relations in the region. Researchers across numerous disciplines collaborate regularly with counterparts in neighboring countries on projects designed to drive innovation on regional challenges in climate change, agriculture, sustainable development, public health and other areas, including recent collaborations with students in Gaza on water research. Other scholars work on promoting equity and social justice for Arab communities within Israel, including through our law clinics, educational initiatives, and community work. Our affiliated hospitals have regularly treated patientsfrom Gaza and have also provided care for refugees from the Civil War in Syria. The space here is insufficient to even begin to enumerate all such projects.

We understand that those calling for academic boycotts against Israeli
universities aim to protect and improve Palestinian lives and to end the crisis in Gaza. The truth isthat we too mourn the loss of innocent life in this horrific conflict and want a better future for Palestinians and Israelis both. However, academic boycotts, as blunt tools, often undermine the very principles of open discourse that universities should uphold. By severing ties and excluding Israeli scholars, we inevitably lose important perspectives and opportunities for dialogue across conflicts, not to mention the scientific benefit from collaborative research.

Indeed, weakening Israeli academia would only undermine Israel’s democratic foundations, as well as the very community fighting to protect human rights and establish a more inclusive society. Tragically the result could be an increasingly militant and illiberalstate, one lesslikely to promote regional peace, prosperity, and democracy.