Trade unions representing staff at Trinity have called on college to sever all institutional links with Israel in a submission to college’s Taskforce on Academic and Institutional International Links and Related Matters.
Union representatives were invited to submit recommendations per the terms of reference of the taskforce which was formed in the aftermath of last May’s encampment.
The submission, seen by Trinity News, outlined eight recommendations. It was made jointly by a number of unions, namely Unite, SIPTU, IFUT along with craft union representatives.
It recommended that college ensures it does not use any Israeli suppliers or hold any investment of Israeli companies or other institutions “implicated in human rights violations in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories” in its portfolio.
The unions are also calling on college to strengthen ties with Palestinian universities and offer to support the rebuilding of universities in Gaza, to fund the hosting of Palestinian academics at Trinity and to ensure that scholarships are offered to Palestinian students.
The submission also made a number of recommendations regarding academic ties with Israel, calling on college to ensure it does not have any institutional partnerships or exchange agreements with Israeli universities, accept any research funding from Israeli or “other complicit companies and institutions”, or participate in any new research and development projects with Israeli research institutions and government ministries.
In regards to existing collaboration, the submission recommends that college takes steps to discontinue such collaboration where possible.
“When not possible, Trinity College should take the necessary steps to withdraw from projects involving Israeli institutional partners, with due regard for contractual obligations and the welfare of [Trinity] researchers and other staff.”
In a statement earlier this week, Unite Trinity Shop Steward Cieran Perry said: “A university of Trinity’s international reputation can and should lead the way in isolating Israel in the international community until it ends its genocidal activities and dismantles the apartheid system it is implementing internally and in the West Bank.”
“In our submission to the Taskforce on Academic and Institutional International Links and Related Matters we call on the university to urgently sever all ties with apartheid Israeli companies, suppliers and institutions.”
SIPTU Trinity Shop Steward Jack Ferguson said the submission was made earlier this year while College sought submissions from the campus community.
“We are now making it public as action needs to be taken sooner rather than later by our historic institution to properly reflect the concerns of staff, students and the wider public concerning the actions of Israel against the Palestinian people,” he added.
When asked for comment a spokesperson for college told Trinity News: “This is a matter for Trinity’s Taskforce on Academic and Institutional International Links and Related Matters. The work of this taskforce is ongoing.”
“The taskforce is meeting next week and will discuss this.”
