Trinity College Dublin formally cuts all ties with Israel
TRINITY College Dublin has announced it will cut ties with all Israeli universities and companies.
The decision, made by the university's board this week, follows growing public outrage in Ireland over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A taskforce, formed last year, recommended full divestment from Israel.
'This taskforce was created following the board-approved resolution statement after the encampment on campus last year,' Trinity said in a public statement.
Chaired by former High Court President Mary Irvine, the taskforce met over a dozen times, reviewed a variety of evidence and received nearly a hundred written submissions from students and staff.
'I want to thank Mary Irvine and the other members of the taskforce who contributed significant time and expertise over the past year to consider these important issues so thoroughly,' the college said.
This total divestment will see Trinity end its remaining academic exchange agreements with Israeli universities and stop it from starting any new partnerships with Israeli institutions or businesses.
Current Erasmus exchange deals with Bar Ilan University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem will remain in place until they're due to end in 2026.
In its collaborative research, the report noted the 'college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners. There is no evidence to associate any of these with breaches of international humanitarian law or human rights violations. The taskforce accepts that College cannot readily extract itself from these agreements.'
In regard to the length of the divestment, 'these will be enacted for the duration of the ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law,' the statement said, noting that the decision will remain under review. The Board is expected to revisit the report later this year.
Zoe Lawlor of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign hailed Trinity's decision in a statement, calling it a 'landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime'.
Dublin's recent formal recognition of Palestine, alongside Spain and Norway, cemented Ireland's position as one of Europe's most vocal critics of Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Ireland's support for South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice has drawn sharp backlash from Israeli officials. Late last year, Israel closed its embassy in Dublin, accusing the Irish government of stoking antisemitism, claims firmly rejected by both the Taoiseach and President.
As one of Ireland's most prominent academic institutions, Trinity's actions could set a precedent for other universities at home and abroad. With solidarity movements and divestment campaigns happening across Britain and Europe, this could influence others who are pressing similar demands on their universities.
Trinity's taskforce will present a final report later this year.
Campus protest on college green (Image: @TrinityBDS @tcdsu via RollingNews.ie)
See More: Gaza, Israel, Mary Irvine, Trinity College Dublin
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Taoiseach labelling Israel's actions in Gaza ‘genocide' won't stop Central Bank approving ‘war bonds', governor tells TDs
So-called 'war bonds', which it is claimed are being used to fund the killing of innocent children and civilians in Gaza, are under intense scrutiny as a second Dáil motion was tabled to ban them. The Central Bank faced sustained questioning from TDs and senators at the Oireachtas Finance Committee, but insisted it is legally required to approve the legal document, or prospectus, required for the sale of the bonds. To be sold in the EU, bonds from non-EU countries must have their bond prospectus approved by an EU country. Israel traditionally had its European bond prospectuses approved in the UK, but turned to the Central Bank in Ireland for authorisations after Brexit. The Governor of the Central Bank, Gabriel Makhlouf, said it was 'incorrect' to claim it can impose sanctions on the processing of the bonds on the basis of international court rulings. He said it is up to international bodies including the UN and the EU to respond to breaches of international law by Israel, and to determine if sanctions are necessary. 'The Central Bank cannot impose sanctions on Israel – for example by refusing to approve the Israeli bond prospectus – in circumstances where the EU has not imposed any such sanctions itself,' he told TDs and senators. The Central Bank said its approval for Israel trading bonds in the EU is due for renewal in September. 'We will look extremely carefully at the facts that pertain at that time and will make a judgment on it,' said the Central Bank governor. A number of TDs, including Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty and Cian O'Callaghan of the Social Democrats, said Ireland was a signatory to the Genocide Convention and this would enable the Central Bank to reject Israel's bond prospectuses. But Mr Makhlouf said the body is not bound by the Genocide Convention, but rather EU financial regulations, when deciding whether to facilitate the sale of bonds. ADVERTISEMENT The current prospectus is due for renewal again in September. 'If, when the state of Israel looks to renew its prospectus we will look extremely carefully at the facts that pertain at the time and we will make a judgment on it,' he said. But this will be based on the requirements of the financial regulations. 'The fact that the Taoiseach made the statement at the time, that is not going to change the judgement we come to,' he said, referring to Micheál Martin's comments last month that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Ahead of last night's Dáil vote on a Bill enabling the Central Bank to stop facilitating Israeli bonds. Sinn Féin urged government TDs to 'have a backbone'. Deputy Doherty said: 'We have to ensure the State has no hand, act or part in facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds. These aren't just financial instruments, this is the money that is raised that pays for the bombs that pays for the bullets that pays for the destruction of the lives of men, women and children across Palestine as we speak.' Deputy O'Callaghan said while Independent TDs backing the Government had a free vote on the motion, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs had to vote along with the party whip. 'That is utterly unjust and unfair,' he said. 'If there was a free vote, this motion would pass and that would put the Central Bank under severe pressure to stop facilitating the sale of these bonds and would cut off a source of finance for the genocide that is taking place.' Labour's Conor Sheehan said: 'It is not enough to just call this a genocide. We need to make Israel an international pariah.'
The Journal
3 hours ago
- The Journal
'I was always with them': Man separated from family after deportation from Ireland to Nigeria
A MAN DEPORTED by the Irish government on a chartered flight to Nigeria last week has said he has been separated by his family because of the move. Rasheed Dimeji Ismail is challenging the deportation on the grounds that the State accepted that his wife Basirat and their three daughters faced threats of female genital mutilation if returned to Nigeria – yet he was still sent there. Rasheed – who is a chairman of a community garden organisation in Clondalkin in Dublin, after coming to Ireland three years ago – was among the 35 people deported to the west African country on the flight . It's the third such chartered deportation flight in the lifetime of the government. The 43-year-old was among a group of people deported last week who spoke to The Journal over a Zoom call today. He said he believes that the deportations are largely down to the government making them a 'scapegoat' because of the 'far-right and the anti-immigrant protests'. Rasheed and his solicitor are seeking for Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan to reverse the deportation. They have also expressed serious concern over the welfare of his wife who was receiving hospital treatment for a respiratory condition. 'I need to see my family,' Rasheed said. 'After my wife gave birth to my first born, I've never missed one week – I was always with them and if I was not with them, I would be with them on the phone.' He also called on O'Callaghan to come face to face with the men, women and children he had deported. 'The minister should see what they are doing to people,' he said. Advertisement 'My children were doing well in school, I was doing well, my wife was working, I was working before the deportation order. These are the people contributing to the country. We are all human.' Maeve Murphy, the chief executive of Clondalkin Global Garden where Rasheed volunteered and elected as chairman, told The Journal that it was important to see him returned. She said he was a respected member of the community in Clondalkin, even attending Áras an Uachtaráin last year for an event honouring volunteer groups with the president. Rasheed and Sabina Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin in 2023. His wife and three daughters – aged 13, ten and seven – were saved from deportation thanks to a last-minute injunction secured by the family's solicitor, on grounds that they faced threats of female genital mutilation if returned to Nigeria. Despite this reprieve for his family, Rashid was still deported as his solicitor could not make an application in time. Legal challenge Faisal Sadiq Khan, of FSK Solicitors, said that his firm is contending Rasheed's deportation on the grounds that it was not in compliance with the spirit of the law and international protection rules. 'His family in the state are also at a greater risk, and they're not able to look after themselves. His wife is really ill, and she's not able to look after their children without his help,' Khan said. Rashid's efforts to protect his wife and children from female genital mutilation have made him a target of the same groups, Khan said. 'Because of the brutality of the practice and the location where he is at, and the level of political support for that kind of practice, he is a specific target now because of what he had done,' Khan said. Rasheed would be able to return if the State approves his wife Basirat's application to remain, but another route exists if the State accepts that his removal and the separation of the family was incorrect. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
GAA welcomes British government's offer of €59m in funding for Casement Park rebuild but project is still €100m short
The Irish Government and the GAA have welcomed the UK's belated decision to commit €59m in funding to the redevelopment of Casement Park.
