ISTANBUL

Belgium’s University of Ghent announced Friday it is severing ties with three Israeli educational and research institutions, citing misalignment with its human rights policy, according to the rectorate.

“We currently assess these three partners as problematic according to the Ghent University human rights test, in contrast to the positive evaluation we gave these partners at the start of our collaboration,” said Rik Van de Walle, University of Ghent's rector.

Walle also stated that the university is ending collaborations with the Holon Institute of Technology, MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, and the Volcani Center, which specializes in agricultural research.

The decision came amidst ongoing pro-Palestinian protests at the university against Israel's operations in Gaza, impacting four ongoing projects, but the Israeli institutions have not yet commented.

The university’s investigation highlighted concerns about the affiliations of MIGAL and Volcani with Israeli ministries and the Holon Institute's provision of material support to the Israeli army for operations in Gaza.

This has rendered the collaborations “undesirable,“ according to the university’s findings.

Protesters at the university welcomed the decision but called it only a first step, vowing to continue their occupation until the university “breaks all ties with Israeli institutions.“