Open Letter | UvA professors demand complete termination of all collaborations with Israeli universities
This afternoon, more than seventy UvA professors sent an open letter to UvA Rector Peter-Paul Verbeek and Vice President Richard Goldstein calling for the immediate termination of “all collaborations” with academic institutions in Israel.
Dear Members of the Executive Board,
The Opening of the Academic Year is an important symbolic moment for the academic community. At the Vrije Universiteit, Sigrid Kaag emphasized the responsibility of universities regarding Israel and Palestine. At Utrecht University, the Rector used the occasion to announce that it would end all collaborations with Israeli institutions. Our rector, Peter-Paul Verbeek, expressed his concerns about the safety of Jewish students and staff. Their safety is, of course, of concern to us. We, however, sorely missed a more encompassing vision regarding the dire situation in Gaza and its impact on our academic community.
In the face of the ongoing destruction of Palestinian life, many within and outside academia increasingly recognize that sanctions against Israel and the severing of institutional ties are necessary. A recent report by experts affiliated with Dutch universities sets this out in clear terms. On June 20, 2025, the Executive Board announced steps in this direction in response to “ongoing and large-scale violence against the Palestinian population.” Yet rather than cutting ties altogether, it insists on weighing collaborations case by case.
Now more than ever, a clear stance and concrete action are needed, in light of evidence of the complicity of Israeli universities in genocide. Ending all collaborations with Israeli institutions would both address the widespread objections within our community and enable the Executive Board to facilitate an open, respectful discussion about the consequences of this war for our university. We therefore urge you to take responsibility and cut all ties with Israeli institutions.
Prof. Dr. Amade Aouatef M’charek, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Ameen Abu-Hanna, Clinical Informatics (FdG)
Prof. Dr. Andries van der Ark, POW (FMG)
Prof. Emeritus Annelies Moors, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Anouk de Koning, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Bart J. Biemond, Medicine
Prof. Benno ter Kuile, SILS (FNWI)
Prof. Bram Orobio de Castro, Orthopedagogy (FMG)
Prof. Bram Sizoo, Psychology (FMG)
Prof. Charles Jeurgens, Media Studies (FGw)
Prof. Chiara De Cesari, Cultural Studies (FGw)
Prof. Christa-Maria Lerm Hayes, Modern and Contemporary Art History (FGw)
Prof. Dave Dongelmans, Amsterdam UMC
Prof. em. Dick de Jongh, ILLC (FNWI)
Prof. Eelke Heemskerk, Political Science (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Eileen Moyera, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Eirini Karyotaki, Psychology (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Ellen M.A. Smets, Amsterdam UMC
Prof. Dr. Esther Peeren, Literary Studies (FGw)
Prof. Dr. Femke Kaulingfreks, GPIO (FMG)
Prof. Femke Roosma, Political Science (FMG)
Prof. Fenella Fleischmann, Sociology (FMG)
Prof. Francio Guadeloupe, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Gaston Franssen, Dutch Language and Literature (FGw)
Prof. Gerard Wiegers, German Language and Literature (FGw)
Prof. Hamideh Afsarmanesh, Informatics Institute (FNWI)
Prof. Hans Schumacher, Economics and Business Administration
Prof. Hugo van der Velden, Art History (FGw)
Prof. Ingo Willuhn, Psychiatry (FdG)
Prof. Jaap Boter, Cultural Studies (FGw)
Prof. James Symonds, ACASA (FGw)
Prof. Jan Henk Kamphuis, Psychology (FMG)
Prof. Jan Willem Bolderdijk, Marketing (E&B)
Prof. Jan Willem Duyvendak, Sociology (FMG)
Prof. Jeannette Pols, Anthropology (FMG)/Amsterdam UMC
Prof. Dr Joris Mooij, Korteweg-De Vries Institute (FNWI)
Prof. Dr Joris van Hoboken, Institute for Information Law (FdR)
Prof. Dr Karin Fijnvandraat, Paediatric Haematology (FdG)
Prof. Dr Kees Hengeveld, Linguistics (FGW)
Prof. Dr. Khalil Sima’an, ILLC (FNWI)
Prof. Dr. Klaas Jan van den Berg, Humanities
Prof. Dr. Kristine Krausea, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca, Theatre Studies (FMG)
Prof. Dr. Luc Fransen, Political Science (FMG)
Prof. Luca Bertolini, GPIO (Faculty of Arts)
Prof. Maarten van Bommel, Arts & Culture (Faculty of Arts)
Prof. Maggi Leung, GPIO (Faculty of Arts)
Prof. Mari Mikkola, Philosophy (Faculty of Arts)
Prof. Maria Boletsi, Modern Foreign Languages and Cultures (FGw)
Prof. Marlies Glasius, Political Science (FMG)
Prof. Matthijs van Veelen, Economics and Business Administration
Prof. Michael Kemper, GER (FGw)
Prof. Michiel van den Brekel, ACLC (FGw)
Prof. em. Michiel van Lambalgen, Humanities (FdG)
Prof. Monique Jaspers, Clinical Informatics (FdG)
Prof. Monique Roelofs, Philosophy (FGw)
Prof. Monique Volman, POW (FMG)
Prof. Nicolette de Keizer, Clinical Informatics (FdG)
Prof. em. Peter Geschiere, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Rachel Spronk, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. Raquel Fernández, ILLC (FNWI)
Prof. Rens Bod, ILLC (FNWI and FGw)
Prof. Rivke Jaffe, GPIO (FMG)
Prof. Robert van Rooij, ILLC (FNWI)
Prof. Robin Boast, Media Studies (FMG)
Prof. Rolando Vázquez, Literary Studies (FGw)
Prof. Ronald Cornet, Clinical Informatics (FdG)
Prof. Sarah Bracke, Sociology (FMG)
Prof. Sennay Ghebreab, Informatics Institute (FNWI)
Prof. Stefania Milan, Media Studies (FGw)
Prof. Thomas Poell, Media Studies (FGw)
Prof. Ursula Daxecker, Political Science (FMG)
Prof. Ward Berenschot, Anthropology (FMG)
Prof. emeritus Willem van Schendel, Anthropology (FMG)
