Royal Academy of Arts in Netherlands ends cooperation with Israeli institution

The management of the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands, announces that it has decided to cancel its collaboration with the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Quds

The management of the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands, has decided to terminate its collaboration with the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Quds.

The KABK Student Union announced on social media that the Academy’s management has accepted the request to end cooperation with Israeli institutions.

The management of the KABK is the first educational institution in the Netherlands to end collaboration with an Israeli educational institution, and the decision has received positive feedback, according to the statement.

The statement outlined the demands that the Union conveyed to the KABK management: “Cancellation of collaboration with Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, ceasing neutrality policy towards the conflict in Gaza, collecting aid for Palestinians within the Academy, establishing collaboration with art academies in Palestine, and offering tuition discounts for Palestinian students, similar to Ukrainian students.”

The statement also emphasized the need for other Dutch educational institutions to make similar decisions, highlighting the growing impact of efforts by Dutch educational institutions to change their stance on the Gaza Strip conflict.

News reports in the national media highlighted the ongoing pressure exerted by the student union on the Academy’s management, including conducting a signature campaign. The Academy’s management, having previously rejected the request to sever ties with the Israeli institution, decided to terminate cooperation in response to increased demands.

Protests in Dutch universities

Supporters of Palestine, including students and faculty, set up a camp on Monday, May 6, at the Roeterseiland campus of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) to demonstrate solidarity with Gaza. Police intervened forcefully after midnight, resulting in the arrest of 125 individuals.

On May 7, demonstrators gathered again at the Roeterseiland campus and later marched to establish a camp at the UvA-owned Binnengasthuis building in the city center.

Police intervened again on May 8, detaining 36 supporters of Palestine.

Protesters also occupied the courtyard of Utrecht University Library on May 7, erecting barricades at the entrance and displaying banners in support of Palestine.

After demonstrators refused to leave, police intervened at midnight, detaining 50 individuals.

Supporters of Palestine regrouped at Utrecht University on May 8, with 40 protesters removed from the university by police and released at a different location.

Students across the Netherlands are demanding universities discontinue collaboration with Israeli-linked institutions, transparently end partnerships involving Israeli institutions or personnel, and refrain from further engagements with such entities.

Source: AA