‘Students, universities stepping up to cut ties with Israel as EU stands by’
The EU’s double standard in sport and culture, from football to the Eurovision song contest, which has seen Russia excluded but not Israel, is rooted in “colonial hypocrisy”, says Giorgia Gusciglio, the Europe coordinator of campaigns for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement promoting economic pressure against Israel.
“The EU [has] always protected and given carte blanche to Israel to do whatever it wants,” Gusciglio told Al Jazeera.
Universities are “taking matters in their own hand”, she said.
“Many universities are … no longer collaborating with Israeli institutions. They’re not waiting for the EU to act.” “This is a massive testament to the mobilisation of students, academics.”
Public outrage over Israel’s aid blockade has not led to government action: European MEP
The images that have emerged over the past few weeks of Palestinians being starved by Israel’s blockade of Gaza have been “impossible for any politician anywhere in the world to defend”, Lynn Boylan, an Irish member of the European Parliament representing Sinn Fein, tells Al Jazeera.
Even in countries such as Germany, which has been a staunch ally of Israel, citizens have been contacting their politicians and saying, “this must stop,” she noted, adding “unfortunately, then we’ve seen the distraction of [Israel’s conflict with] Iran, and the focus moved away from Gaza.
Boylan said the daily footage of Palestinians being targeted at the aid distribution sites as they “desperately try to get food and water for their children and themselves” has now become normalised.
“The commentary that we heard was as a direct result of both the imagery and the people power and putting pressure on the German government… hasn’t manifested”, she said.
Smoke rises during an Israeli attack as Palestinians ride a horse-drawn cart along a road used by aid seekers
