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Letter of Support with Students, Staff and Academics at Freie University calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)

Why Freie University Berlin needs to adopt a policy of academic boycott according to the BDS ethical guidelines towards Israeli universities and other institutions which are complicit in apartheid, occupation, settler-colonialism and/or genocide.

We, the undersigned, call on the administration of Freie University Berlin to immediately seize the criminalization and racist discrimination of its students, staff and faculty, and to honor fundamental rights and the freedom of academia.

We, the undersigned, hereby support the call of students, staff and faculty of Freie University Berlin to implement an academic boycott according to the BDS ethical guidelines towards Israeli and other institutions which facilitate the regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid.

This call is based on an extensive report, published in February 2025, which outlines how the Freie University Berlin normalizes and outrightly facilitates Apartheid, settler-colonialism and genocide through its various institutional ties to Israeli universities and other institutions.

This is proven by e.g. (1) the cooperation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which offers to host exchange students from FU Berlin on illegally occupied land and in hostels which constitute illegal settlements (2) through cooperation with the University of Haifa which directly acts as a training ground for officers of the Israeli occupation army or (3) through cooperation with the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion), which is a major hub for military technology development specifically designed to uphold and deepen colonization and apartheid, as with the Technion developed D9 bulldozer, infamoussly known for destroying Palestinian villages, streets or crushing the bodies of dead (and living) Palestinians, as it happened during the Genocide in Gaza.

We, the undersigned, encourage the proliferation of such a movement to other German universities, as BDS in order with its accompanying ethical guidelines, encourages critical discussions and reflections which question the ruling narratives of imperial and colonial power, while materially contributing to the struggle for equality and liberty. The success of BDS campaigns has been shown in the case of South Africa, as they isolate states engaged in genocide, occupation, colonization and apartheid.

It is unusual that academics and intellectuals from institutions or countries other than the respective university in question sign such letters of support. However, we need to acknowledge the severe infringements on freedom of academia and fundamental rights at Freie University and in Germany. These have been outlined by respected international organizations such as Amnesty International or the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights. In this light, we see it as our moral duty, to amplify the voices of students, staff and faculty of Freie University which the German state is attempting to silence with the help of university administrations.

We, the undersigned, pledge to communicate this call as well as the infringements on academic freedom and fundamental rights at Freie University in the wider international academic community through our research, written commentaries, lectures or contributions in academic conferences and protests.

Concluding, we pledge to revisit and potentially suspend planned or future institutional ties and exchange programs with Freie University if it continues to break international law, and if it does not stop its disregard for the freedom of academia and fundamental democratic rights as enshrined in the German constitution.

  1. Dr. Shir Hever, Freie Universität Berlin
  2. Prof. Lina Meruane, Former Simon Fischer Professor at Freie Universität Berlin
  3. M.A. Georg Ismael, Freie Universität Berlin
  4. B.A. Lior Kahana, John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
  5. B.A. Student Lorenz Deutsch, Otto Suhr Institut für Politikwissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin
  6. M.A. Johanna Saggau, Lateinamerika Institut, Freie Universität Berlin
  7. Wim Lenkeit, Freie Universität Berlin
  8. M.A. Isla Karademir, Freie Universität Berlin
  9. M.A. Dennis Klinke, Freie Universität Berlin
  10. Jorge Vega, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
  11. M.A. in Philosophy Pablo Abufom, Universidad de Chile
  12. Dr. Rodrigo Karmy, Universidad de Chile
  13. Prof. Dr. Pamela Stoll Dougall, Universidad de Alicante
  14. Profersora titular Facultad Comuniciòn e Imagen, Faride Zerán, Universidad de Chile
  15. Prof. María Soledad Falabella Luco, Universidad de Chile
  16. Prof. Maria Eugenia Dominguez saul, Universidad de Chile
  17. Profesora Inglesias Saldaña Margarita, Universidad de Chile
  18. Profesor Dino Pacani C., Universidad de Chile
  19. Prof. Feliciano Castaño Villar, Universidad de Chile
  20. M.B.A. Mikhael Marzuqa, Oficina de Información Palestina
  21. Profesor PhD, Bernardo Subercaseaux, Universidad de Chile
  22. Doctora en Historia. Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Ariadna Biotti Silva, Universidad de Chile
  23. Professor Albert Zeppelin, Universidad de Chile
  24. Doctor Jorge Ferrada Sullivan, Universidad de Los Lagos
  25. Prof. Marcela Chahuán, Universidad de Chile
  26. Prof. Javier Barreda Sureda, Universidad de Alicante
  27. Hesham Abu-Sharar, Universitat Autorenoma de Barcelona
  28. Dr. Ana Harcha Cortés, Universidad de Chile
  29. Dr. Dolores Vázquez, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
  30. Prof. Christina García Cecilia, Universidad de Alicante
  31. Associate Professor Andreas Malm, Lund University, Sweden
  32. Dr. Dror Dayan, Liverpool John Moores University
  33. Xenia Shakhin
  34. Dakhli Leyla, CNRS, France
  35. Dr. Rune Steenberg Reyhe, Palacky University Olomouc, Czechia
  36. B.A. Robert Lisney
  37. Carolyn Doidge, Hertie School
  38. Prof. Dr. Emirata Sabine Broeck, University of Bremen
  39. M.A. Carlos Ortega Sánchez, University of Istanbul
  40. Dr. Sai Englert, Leiden University
  41. Dr. Sruti Bala, University of Amsterdam
  42. Dr. Esther Edelmann, Leiden University
  43. Dr. Michiel Bot, Tilburg University
  44. Samuel Ballin, Radbout University
  45. Dr. Christian Henderson, Leiden University
  46. Prof. Alvaro Arguelles, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
  47. Prof. Pablo Garcia, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
  48. Dr. Theo Aalders, University of Bonn
  49. M.A. Micely Días Espaillat, University of Bonn
  50. Dr. Angela Last, University of Leicester
  51. M.Sc. Inès Bakhtaoui, University of Bonn
  52. M.A. J.P. Arellano, The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  53. M.A. Giacomo Delgado, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
  54. Dr. Zainab Khalid, COMSATS University, Pakistan
  55. Alexander Müller, Martin-Luther-Universität (Halle/Saale)
  56. Fatema Hubail, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies
  57. Dr. Carolina Bello, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
  58. Dr. William Andrés Mesa Cárdenas, Freie Universität Berlin, Lateinamerika Institut
  59. Rohit Sarma
  60. Dr. Jaša Veselinovič, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (ehem. FU Berlin)
  61. Julia Scheddel, Goethe Universität Frankfurt a.M.
  62. Dr. Maria S. Grewe, John Jay College of Criminal Justice-CUNY
  63. Prof. Dr. Sara Lennox, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  64. M.A. Ulises García Figueroa, Memorial University of Newfoundland
  65. Elan Adyatma, Universitas Paramadina
  66. Dr. Jennifer Creech, Oregon State University
  67. SHK Miriam Süttmann
  68. Jaša Veselinovič, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (ex FU Berlin)
  69. M.A. Luis Cortés, Freie Universität Berlin
  70. Dr. Thomas Purcell, King’s College London
  71. Dr. Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven, King’s College London
  72. Prof. Jeroen Gunning, King’s College London
  73. Prof. Juan Kornblihtt
  74. Prof. Antonio Rossello, UBA
  75. Prof. Fabiola Ferro, Universidad de Buenos Aires
  76. Diputado Nacional Argentina Christian Castillo, PTS-FITU
  77. Prof. Mauricio Torme, UBA
  78. Dr. Stavit Sinai
  79. Malik Osmane, MSc. QA and Diplom Biologist / German public member
  80. Dr. Christian Henderson, Leiden University
  81. Samuel Ballin, Radboud University
  82. Prof. em Annelies Moors, University of Amsterdam
  83. Dr. Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez, Radboud University
  84. Dr. Anand Sheombar, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
  85. Prof. Dr. Karel Arnaut, KU Leuven
  86. Dr. Astrid Jamar, University of Antwerp
  87. Dr. Saskia Blom, Fontys University of Applied Sciences
  88. Prof. MD Guido Vanham, Institute of Tropical Medicine and University of Antwerp, Belgium
  89. Prof. Gert Van Hecken, University of Antwerp (Belgium)
  90. Prof. Mahmoud Zaqout, Antwerp University
  91. Liza Steultjens, Centre for International Conflict Analysis and Management, Radboud University
  92. Dr. Valentina Carraro, University of Amsterdam
  93. Prof. John Barry, Queen’s University Belfast
  94. Prof. Maria Jose Lera, Universidad de Sevilla
  95. Dr. Adele Tufford, Radboud University, Nijmegen
  96. Dr. Brian Kelly, Reader in History, Queen’s University Belfast
  97. Prof. David Sánchez Rubio, Universidad de Sevilla
  98. Prof. Daniel Jiménez-Franco, University of Zaragoza
  99. HRF Thomas Hickey, University of Brighton UK
  100. Assistant Professor, Geography Rory Rowan, Trinity College Dublin
  101. Dr Grietje (River) Baars, SOAS, University of London
  102. Prof. Raphael Salkie, University of Brighton
  103. Dr. Harun Šiljak, Academics for Palestine (Ireland)
  104. Dr. Christian Hogsbjerg, University of Brighton
  105. Prof. Maria Lamuedra, Universidad de Sevilla
  106. Dr. Toufic Haddad, Independent researcher
  107. Prof. José Luis López de Lizaga, University of Zaragoza
  108. Dr. Lucía Molina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  109. Dr. Susan Blackwell, University of Utrecht
  110. Prof. Manuel Pelegrina, Universidad de Málaga
  111. Dr. Mayssoun Sukarieh, King’s College London
  112. Dr. Aitor Bikandi Eskutza, UPV/EHU
  113. Prof. Francisco F. García Pérez, University of Seville
  114. Prof. Francesco Battaglia
  115. Dr. Guillermo Muñoz Matutano, Universitat de València
  116. Jorge Ramos Tolosa, Universitat de València
  117. Prof. Arantza Gutiérrez Paz, UPV/EHU
  118. Doz. Leonor Sáez Méndez, Universität Murcia
  119. Prof. Leonor Sáez Méndez, Universidad de Murcia
  120. Jubilada Idoia Goikoetxea, Urko-punta GKE
  121. Prof. Núria Garro, Universitat de València
  122. Prof. Paolo SH Favero, University of Antwerp
  123. Dr. Hesham Abu-Sharar, Autónoma University of Barcelona-UAB
  124. LL.M Mona Aviat, Université libre de Bruxelles
  125. Anna Tó
  126. Dr. Adriana Moreno Cely, Vrije Universiteit Brussel VUB
  127. Dr. Rahul Rao, University of St Andrews
  128. Marta Rodríguez-Cruz, Departamento de Antropología Social. Universidad de Sevilla
  129. PhD Student Jozef Vandermeulen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  130. PhD researcher Joachim Piret, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  131. Emeritus Professor Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics
  132. Dr. Eman Abboud, AFP Ireland, Trinity College Dublin
  133. Profesor Javier Barquín Ruiz, Universidad de Málaga
  134. Profesora Blanca Giles, Alquds
  135. Prof Nele Aernouts, VUB
  136. Dr. Lieks Hettinga, Utrecht University
  137. Prof Umberto Albarella, University of Sheffield
  138. Profesor M Ángeles Diez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
  139. Prof. Nadia Yahlali, University of Valencia
  140. Dr. Annapurna Menon, University of Sheffield
  141. Prof. Dr. Ramis Örlü, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden & OsloMet, Norway
  142. Feliciano Castaño Villar, Andalucía, Spain
  143. Prof. Isabel Trujillo, Universidad de sevilla
  144. Auxi Durán, Universidad de Málaga
  145. Dr Richard Wild, University of Greenwich
  146. M.A. Rahma Bavelaar, Leiden University of Applied Sciences