University College Cork has said it is giving its "considered attention" to a renewed demand from its Students' Union that it take a number of steps including the cutting ties with Israeli universities and institutions, after the union urged it to "end its silence on Palestine".
UCCSU has written to the university urging it to "end its silence on Palestine" and warned that it will "escalate to further action" if its demands are not met.
In a lengthy letter to UCC President John O'Halloran the Students' Union makes a number of specific demands, including that the college issue a statement "condemning Israel's genocide against the Palestinians", that UCC demand "an immediate and permanent ceasefire and ... unhindered access to aid for Gaza".
The union also demands that the college cuts ties with Israeli universities, cultural institutions and any collaborations with Israeli industries engaged in violations of Palestinian human rights, and that it offer support to Palestinian academics and students and the Palestinian education system.
Publishing its letter, UCCSU said it "stands in full solidarity with the Palestinian people who are facing genocide at the hands of Israel and commends the bravery student activists across the globe".
"We stand in full solidarity with Trinity College Dublin Students' Union as they fight against their university's complicity in genocide," the UCC SU statement said.
In its letter the students have told the UCC president: "We have tried to engage with you and call attention to this issue a number of times", and it lists a number of direct actions it took including rallies and a student walkout as well as a previous letter which was signed by over 400 staff and 1,000 students and alumni at the college.
"Unfortunately, all our actions to date have been met with silence or excuses," the letter states.
Two weeks ago the college told RTÉ News that it acknowledged "the deeply distressing situation in Gaza".
"The events of October 7 in Israel and the ongoing crisis in Gaza are utterly heart-breaking and abhorrent.
"Our hope is for a peaceful resolution to the current conflict. UCC recently welcomed the Palestinian Ambassador to campus to discuss areas of mutual co-operation," it said.
Universities such as UCC have argued that they must remain politically neutral, in order to protect academic freedom.
But in their letter the students say academic freedom is fundamentally linked with other protections and rights.
"We believe that silence in the face of injustice is siding with the oppressor," the letter states.
Urging the president to "please respond to these demands as soon as possible," the Students' Union says: "If we do not receive a satisfactory response to these demands by close of business this Friday, we will have no choice but to escalate to further action."
Meanwhile at UCD, students are meeting tonight to discuss escalating its campaign to get that university to call for a ceasefire and to also to move to cut ties with Israeli universities and institutions.
The meeting has been called by the college's Students' Union and by a student BDS group at the college.
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At Trinity College, a meeting between management and student representatives has ended without a resolution to end the pro-Palestinian encampment.
The college's Students Union is calling on the university to end all business and academic links with Israel
The students welcomed this but said they would continue the protest until their demands are met in full.
Another meeting was held this evening which Trinity College described as "constructive".
In a statement it said: "Following yesterday's positive meeting further constructive talks were held today between student representatives and Trinity management representatives, the Senior Dean, Eóin O Sullivan and the Dean of Students, Richie Porter, regarding the encampment at the university."
Trinity College said the talks will continue tomorrow.
Additional reporting by Dyane Connor
