Trinity College Dublin to divest from links with Israeli universities and firms
The board of the prestigious Dublin university, home to over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, made the decision to divest from Israeli links on Wednesday.
Pro-Palestinian activists have called on other Irish universities to follow suit.
🇵🇸TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN JUST AGREED TO FULL DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAEL AND THE CUTTING OF ALL ACADEMIC TIES🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/1sRzEx5jbE
— Jenny 🇵🇸 (@jennymaguir) June 4, 2025
Last May, students formed an encampment at Trinity in protest against a 214,285 euro fine imposed on the students' union after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university's ties to Israel.
Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist.
The students dismantled the camp after Trinity said it would 'endeavour' to divest in other Israeli companies, noting that its supplier list contains just one Israeli company which remained in place until March this year for contractual reasons.
On Wednesday, Trinity's board received a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel.
Although the report is to return to the board later this year for its final consideration, based on 'the strength of the evidence shared', the board accepted the report's recommendations in relation to links with Israel.
This included recommendations that the college enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms.
The college has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements, on an inbound basis only since September 2023, with Israeli universities: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, and Bar Ilan University, which ends in July 2026.
The taskforce also found that the college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners, and – although none of these were found to be breaching international humanitarian law or human rights – the taskforce said Trinity should not seek to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israeli participation.
It also said that Trinity should look to 'align itself' with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning Israel's participation in such collaborations.
The taskforce noted that Trinity had divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist and has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies.
But it recommended that the college should fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel and that it should not enter into any future supply contracts with Israeli firms.
The taskforce accepted that the college's existing intellectual property-related contracts are acceptable as they are not collaborative, but said no new commercial relationships with Israeli entities should be set up.
Chairwoman of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Zoe Lawlor said the decision by Trinity was a 'landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime'.
She called on more Irish universities to do the same and paid tribute to students, academics and staff who campaigned for this outcome.
'Trinity will now stand on the right side of history, as it did with South African apartheid in the past, but it is nevertheless disappointing that it took so long to get to this position,' she said.
'We echo the view of TCD Students' Union that it remains disappointing that Trinity has not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners who provide military technology and training that will run until 2029.
'Nonetheless, we celebrate each and every step towards de-normalising relations with the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. We call on the Irish Government and the EU to pay heed to the changing climate, and to act to bring an end to all Irish state complicity with the apartheid regime.'
The taskforce, chaired by former president of the High Court Mary Irvine, met on 14 occasions and received 77 submissions in total.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
36 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
BBC art dealer from Bargain Hunt jailed for terror offence
The 53-year-old admitted to eight counts of failing to disclose during business under the Terrorism Act 2000. Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Ojiri was aware that he had sold art to Nazem Ahmad, who had been sanctioned in 2019 by the US authorities. Bargain Hunts star Oghenochuko Ojiri jailed for selling art to suspected Hezbollah financier Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organisation in the UK (Image: Ben Whitley/PA) She stated: "These offences are so severe that only a custodial sentence can be justified." According to the BBC, the judge added: "You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by people like him. "Your hard work, talent and charisma has brought you a great deal of success... You knew you should not have been dealing with that man." She added that there was no evidence that Ojiri supported any form of extremism but that his conduct undermined he detection of terrorist financing. Representing the BBC Bargain Hunt star, Gavin Irwin said that the art expert's "humiliation is complete," adding that the star has lost "his good name" and the "work he loves." Mr Irwin added: "He'd like to apologise for undermining trust" in the art market. Discussing the case, Cdr Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, said: "Raising money for terrorism is a core part of how terrorist groups are then able to cause harm around the world." Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said Ojiri's motivation appeared "to be financial, along with a broader desire to boost his gallery's reputation within the art market by dealing with such a well-known collector." He added: "This prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind, and the CPS will not hesitate to bring criminal charges against individuals who flout the law in this way." What is Hezbollah and why is it considered a terrorist group? According to the House of Lords Library, Hezbollah is an armed Shiite militia group that is backed by Iran, which largely operates in Lebanon. Giving the UK Government's reasoning for classifying it as a terrorist group in 2024, it added: "It has been proscribed in its entirety by the UK as a terrorist organisation since 2019. "The current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel continues. Hezbollah has fired rockets at Israeli territory whilst Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes—including that which saw the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah." It concluded by saying: "The UK has called for an immediate ceasefire to provide space for a diplomatic settlement."
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
BBC art dealer from Bargain Hunt jailed for terror offence
Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Ojiri was aware that he had sold art to Nazem Ahmad, who had been sanctioned in 2019 by the US authorities. Bargain Hunts star Oghenochuko Ojiri jailed for selling art to suspected Hezbollah financier Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organisation in the UK (Image: Ben Whitley/PA) She stated: "These offences are so severe that only a custodial sentence can be justified." According to the BBC, the judge added: "You knew about Ahmad's suspected involvement in financing terrorism and the way the art market can be exploited by people like him. "Your hard work, talent and charisma has brought you a great deal of success... You knew you should not have been dealing with that man." She added that there was no evidence that Ojiri supported any form of extremism but that his conduct undermined he detection of terrorist financing. Representing the BBC Bargain Hunt star, Gavin Irwin said that the art expert's "humiliation is complete," adding that the star has lost "his good name" and the "work he loves." Mr Irwin added: "He'd like to apologise for undermining trust" in the art market. Discussing the case, Cdr Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, said: "Raising money for terrorism is a core part of how terrorist groups are then able to cause harm around the world." Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said Ojiri's motivation appeared "to be financial, along with a broader desire to boost his gallery's reputation within the art market by dealing with such a well-known collector." He added: "This prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind, and the CPS will not hesitate to bring criminal charges against individuals who flout the law in this way." What is Hezbollah and why is it considered a terrorist group? According to the House of Lords Library, Hezbollah is an armed Shiite militia group that is backed by Iran, which largely operates in Lebanon. Giving the UK Government's reasoning for classifying it as a terrorist group in 2024, it added: "It has been proscribed in its entirety by the UK as a terrorist organisation since 2019. "The current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel continues. Hezbollah has fired rockets at Israeli territory whilst Israel has launched retaliatory airstrikes—including that which saw the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah." It concluded by saying: "The UK has called for an immediate ceasefire to provide space for a diplomatic settlement."
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Eid under way in Gaza Strip with prayers outside destroyed mosques
With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold the traditional Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what they could scrape together for the three-day feast. 'This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people,' said Kamel Emran after attending prayers in the southern city of Khan Younis. 'There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses … The conditions are very, very harsh.' The Islamic holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. For the second year, Muslims in Gaza were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. In northern Gaza on Friday, Israel issued a new warning to civilians saying the military was about to undertake intensive operations in an area after it said rockets were fired toward Israel from the sector. The war broke out on October 7 2023 when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 hostages. They are still holding 56 hostages, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies. Since then, Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians in its military campaign, primarily women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians or combatants in its figures. The offensive has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly two million Palestinians. After blocking all food and aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, Israel began allowing a trickle of supplies to enter for the UN several weeks ago. But the UN says it has been unable to distribute much of the aid because of Israeli military restrictions on movements and because roads that the military designates for its trucks to use are unsafe and vulnerable to looters. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome said on Thursday that Gaza's people are projected to fall into acute food insecurity by September, with nearly 500,000 people experiencing extreme food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation. 'This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip,' Rein Paulson, director of the FAO office of emergencies and resilience, said in an interview.
