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.
- Dr. Shir Hever, Freie Universität Berlin
- Prof. Lina Meruane, Former Simon Fischer Professor at Freie Universität Berlin
- M.A. Georg Ismael, Freie Universität Berlin
- B.A. Lior Kahana, John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
- B.A. Student Lorenz Deutsch, Otto Suhr Institut für Politikwissenschaften, Freie Universität Berlin
- M.A. Johanna Saggau, Lateinamerika Institut, Freie Universität Berlin
- Wim Lenkeit, Freie Universität Berlin
- M.A. Isla Karademir, Freie Universität Berlin
- M.A. Dennis Klinke, Freie Universität Berlin
- Jorge Vega, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
- M.A. in Philosophy Pablo Abufom, Universidad de Chile
- Dr. Rodrigo Karmy, Universidad de Chile
- Prof. Dr. Pamela Stoll Dougall, Universidad de Alicante
- Profersora titular Facultad Comuniciòn e Imagen, Faride Zerán, Universidad de Chile
- Prof. María Soledad Falabella Luco, Universidad de Chile
- Prof. Maria Eugenia Dominguez saul, Universidad de Chile
- Profesora Inglesias Saldaña Margarita, Universidad de Chile
- Profesor Dino Pacani C., Universidad de Chile
- Prof. Feliciano Castaño Villar, Universidad de Chile
- M.B.A. Mikhael Marzuqa, Oficina de Información Palestina
- Profesor PhD, Bernardo Subercaseaux, Universidad de Chile
- Doctora en Historia. Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Ariadna Biotti Silva, Universidad de Chile
- Professor Albert Zeppelin, Universidad de Chile
- Doctor Jorge Ferrada Sullivan, Universidad de Los Lagos
- Prof. Marcela Chahuán, Universidad de Chile
- Prof. Javier Barreda Sureda, Universidad de Alicante
- Hesham Abu-Sharar, Universitat Autorenoma de Barcelona
- Dr. Ana Harcha Cortés, Universidad de Chile
- Dr. Dolores Vázquez, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
- Prof. Christina García Cecilia, Universidad de Alicante
- Associate Professor Andreas Malm, Lund University, Sweden
- Dr. Dror Dayan, Liverpool John Moores University
- Xenia Shakhin
- Dakhli Leyla, CNRS, France
- Dr. Rune Steenberg Reyhe, Palacky University Olomouc, Czechia
- B.A. Robert Lisney
- Carolyn Doidge, Hertie School
- Prof. Dr. Emirata Sabine Broeck, University of Bremen
- M.A. Carlos Ortega Sánchez, University of Istanbul
- Dr. Sai Englert, Leiden University
- Dr. Sruti Bala, University of Amsterdam
- Dr. Esther Edelmann, Leiden University
- Dr. Michiel Bot, Tilburg University
- Samuel Ballin, Radbout University
- Dr. Christian Henderson, Leiden University
- Prof. Alvaro Arguelles, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
- Prof. Pablo Garcia, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
- Dr. Theo Aalders, University of Bonn
- M.A. Micely Días Espaillat, University of Bonn
- Dr. Angela Last, University of Leicester
- M.Sc. Inès Bakhtaoui, University of Bonn
- M.A. J.P. Arellano, The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
- M.A. Giacomo Delgado, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
- Dr. Zainab Khalid, COMSATS University, Pakistan
- Alexander Müller, Martin-Luther-Universität (Halle/Saale)
- Fatema Hubail, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies
- Dr. Carolina Bello, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
- Dr. William Andrés Mesa Cárdenas, Freie Universität Berlin, Lateinamerika Institut
- Rohit Sarma
- Dr. Jaša Veselinovič, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (ehem. FU Berlin)
- Julia Scheddel, Goethe Universität Frankfurt a.M.
- Dr. Maria S. Grewe, John Jay College of Criminal Justice-CUNY
- Prof. Dr. Sara Lennox, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- M.A. Ulises García Figueroa, Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Elan Adyatma, Universitas Paramadina
- Dr. Jennifer Creech, Oregon State University
- SHK Miriam Süttmann
- Jaša Veselinovič, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (ex FU Berlin)
- M.A. Luis Cortés, Freie Universität Berlin
- Dr. Thomas Purcell, King’s College London
- Dr. Ingrid Harvold Kvangraven, King’s College London
- Prof. Jeroen Gunning, King’s College London
- Prof. Juan Kornblihtt
- Prof. Antonio Rossello, UBA
- Prof. Fabiola Ferro, Universidad de Buenos Aires
- Diputado Nacional Argentina Christian Castillo, PTS-FITU
- Prof. Mauricio Torme, UBA
- Dr. Stavit Sinai
- Malik Osmane, MSc. QA and Diplom Biologist / German public member
- Dr. Christian Henderson, Leiden University
- Samuel Ballin, Radboud University
- Prof. em Annelies Moors, University of Amsterdam
- Dr. Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez, Radboud University
- Dr. Anand Sheombar, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
- Prof. Dr. Karel Arnaut, KU Leuven
- Dr. Astrid Jamar, University of Antwerp
- Dr. Saskia Blom, Fontys University of Applied Sciences
- Prof. MD Guido Vanham, Institute of Tropical Medicine and University of Antwerp, Belgium
- Prof. Gert Van Hecken, University of Antwerp (Belgium)
- Prof. Mahmoud Zaqout, Antwerp University
- Liza Steultjens, Centre for International Conflict Analysis and Management, Radboud University
- Dr. Valentina Carraro, University of Amsterdam
- Prof. John Barry, Queen’s University Belfast
- Prof. Maria Jose Lera, Universidad de Sevilla
- Dr. Adele Tufford, Radboud University, Nijmegen
- Dr. Brian Kelly, Reader in History, Queen’s University Belfast
- Prof. David Sánchez Rubio, Universidad de Sevilla
- Prof. Daniel Jiménez-Franco, University of Zaragoza
- HRF Thomas Hickey, University of Brighton UK
- Assistant Professor, Geography Rory Rowan, Trinity College Dublin
- Dr Grietje (River) Baars, SOAS, University of London
- Prof. Raphael Salkie, University of Brighton
- Dr. Harun Šiljak, Academics for Palestine (Ireland)
- Dr. Christian Hogsbjerg, University of Brighton
- Prof. Maria Lamuedra, Universidad de Sevilla
- Dr. Toufic Haddad, Independent researcher
- Prof. José Luis López de Lizaga, University of Zaragoza
- Dr. Lucía Molina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
- Dr. Susan Blackwell, University of Utrecht
- Prof. Manuel Pelegrina, Universidad de Málaga
- Dr. Mayssoun Sukarieh, King’s College London
- Dr. Aitor Bikandi Eskutza, UPV/EHU
- Prof. Francisco F. García Pérez, University of Seville
- Prof. Francesco Battaglia
- Dr. Guillermo Muñoz Matutano, Universitat de València
- Jorge Ramos Tolosa, Universitat de València
- Prof. Arantza Gutiérrez Paz, UPV/EHU
- Doz. Leonor Sáez Méndez, Universität Murcia
- Prof. Leonor Sáez Méndez, Universidad de Murcia
- Jubilada Idoia Goikoetxea, Urko-punta GKE
- Prof. Núria Garro, Universitat de València
- Prof. Paolo SH Favero, University of Antwerp
- Dr. Hesham Abu-Sharar, Autónoma University of Barcelona-UAB
- LL.M Mona Aviat, Université libre de Bruxelles
- Anna Tó
- Dr. Adriana Moreno Cely, Vrije Universiteit Brussel VUB
- Dr. Rahul Rao, University of St Andrews
- Marta Rodríguez-Cruz, Departamento de Antropología Social. Universidad de Sevilla
- PhD Student Jozef Vandermeulen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- PhD researcher Joachim Piret, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Emeritus Professor Jonathan Rosenhead, London School of Economics
- Dr. Eman Abboud, AFP Ireland, Trinity College Dublin
- Profesor Javier Barquín Ruiz, Universidad de Málaga
- Profesora Blanca Giles, Alquds
- Prof Nele Aernouts, VUB
- Dr. Lieks Hettinga, Utrecht University
- Prof Umberto Albarella, University of Sheffield
- Profesor M Ángeles Diez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- Prof. Nadia Yahlali, University of Valencia
- Dr. Annapurna Menon, University of Sheffield
- Prof. Dr. Ramis Örlü, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden & OsloMet, Norway
- Feliciano Castaño Villar, Andalucía, Spain
- Prof. Isabel Trujillo, Universidad de sevilla
- Auxi Durán, Universidad de Málaga
- Dr Richard Wild, University of Greenwich
- M.A. Rahma Bavelaar, Leiden University of Applied Sciences