cyprus academics — More than 140 academics from eight universities in Cyprus have demanded the immediate suspension of all institutional collaboration with Israeli government agencies and academic institutions, citing ongoing violence in Gaza as a catalyst for their petition.
Dated 19 September 2025, the petition has been addressed to university rectors and vice-rectors throughout Cyprus. The signatories are calling for an end to partnerships with Israeli ministries, services, and institutions that they allege are complicit in violations of international law and human rights conventions.
In their statement, the academics express their moral obligation to act against what they describe as the systematic extermination of civilians. They highlight the targeted destruction of infrastructure in Gaza, which they claim has devastated schools, hospitals, and universities.
“As academics, we cannot stand idle in the face of systematic extermination of civilians and the targeted and systematic destruction of infrastructure in Gaza,” the petition articulates. The signatories urge their universities to follow the lead of various European academic institutions that have already severed ties with Israeli counterparts.
The petition also references troubling reports from humanitarian organisations and international bodies that describe Israel’s actions as utilising “human-induced famine as a weapon of war,” with the aim of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza. Despite existing rulings from the International Court of Justice and various UN resolutions, the academics contend that Israel remains non-compliant with international law.
They cite alarming figures, noting at least 63,000 fatalities in Gaza, including a substantial number of children. This assertion is supported by recent assessments from Amnesty International and the International Association of Genocide Scholars, which allege that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian population.
“Reports and accounts from recognised human rights organisations, as well as journalistic investigations, document that academic institutions and companies in Israel are complicit in these violations either through military research or by playing an active role in mechanisms of occupation, surveillance and state violence,” the petition continues.
With the call to action echoing through academic corridors, the petition draws attention to similar efforts undertaken by European universities. Notably, around 70 universities in Spain, five in Norway, and specific institutions such as the University of Ghent in Belgium and Trinity College Dublin in Ireland have taken steps to cut ties with Israeli academic entities.
The Cyprus academics particularly emphasise the necessity of halting cooperation with Israeli research or academic institutions that engage in contracts with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or collaborate with the IDF on operational matters. The signatories represent diverse disciplines, including social sciences, education, architecture, engineering, and the fine arts, spanning faculty from the University of Cyprus, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, European University Cyprus, University of Nicosia, Frederick University, University of Limassol, and the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo.
The petition is robustly supported by extensive citations, including reports from Oxfam concerning starvation as a weapon of war and Save the Children, which documented that nearly 90 per cent of school buildings in Gaza have suffered damage or destruction. Additionally, UNICEF has reported over 5,000 children diagnosed with malnutrition in Gaza as of May.
