Melike Pala
23 October 2025•Update: 23 October 2025
BRUSSELS
Students and academic staff at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) went on strike Thursday to protest the school’s ties with Israeli institutions, according to the Belgian news portal Bruzz.
The strike was part of nationwide demonstrations denouncing academic cooperation with Israel.
The protest organized by the European platform Stop Funding Genocide began on VUB's Etterbeek campus.
It demands that universities and the EU cut partnerships with Israeli institutions amid Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.
"This is the first time a strike by students and academics for Palestine has taken place in our country," said Johanna Pinket, student representative speaking on behalf of VUB activists.
She noted that the protests, which have been held for two years, have already pressured the school to sever partnerships with Israeli institutions.
During the opening ceremony of VUB’s academic year, which was disrupted by pro-Palestinian activists, Rector Jan Danckaert announced he would no longer sign partnership agreements with Israeli institutions.
But activists criticized the university’s "lax" stance and demanded an immediate end to the three remaining partnerships.
"The promise is a major victory, achieved through the pressure of students and staff for Palestine. But we also demand an end to the three existing partnerships, one of which is with an Israeli ministry," said Pinket.
At least 15 professors are reportedly joining the strike by canceling their classes Thursday.
"We believe it's necessary to organize these actions to continue to pressure our universities to break ties and our governments to take effective sanctions," Pinket added.
Since October 2023, Israel's genocidal war has killed more than 68,200 victims and injured over 170,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
