The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said it fully supports the latest Irish student encampment which was set up by students at University College Cork (UCC) yesterday evening.
The encampment, which is being led by the UCC student BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) group, is demanding that UCC takes specific actions to end ties with Israel.
Today, both the national student body USI and the UCC Students Union (UCCSU) released statements supporting their protest.
USI represents 374,000 students across the island of Ireland.
UCC BDS set up tents at the college's main quad last night to protest a response from UCC President, John O'Halloran to an open letter from UCCSU demanding "full divestment by UCC from all financial ties to companies that are funding and profiting from the occupation of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza".
"Working with USI, UCC BDS has uncovered a number of academic and other ties between UCC and Israel, and the group will protest until UCC commits to fully ending its complicity with Israel, the oppressors of the Palestinian State and people," the USI said.
The union has highlighted UCC’s involvement in Horizon 2024, a multi-lateral research project which includes Israel.
It says that earlier this year, Horizon 2024 released a white paper exploring how research being carried out by higher education institutions can be used for civilian and military purposes.
"Involvement in Horizon 2024 makes Higher Education Institutions complicit in the actions of the Israeli military" the USI said.
Setting out the union’s support for the encampment, USI Vice President for Campaigns Zaid Al-Barghouthi said: "We stand in full solidarity and support of UCC BDS, and we are ready to offer our support to both UCC BDS and UCCSU in whatever capacity needed.
"USI very much welcomes this action and the official establishment of the UCC BDS group.
"USI is glad to have played a role in exposing the ties that UCC has with Israel, that this protest is targeting.
"Like other institutions, UCC is using cries of academic freedom to counter these demands, but these connections are a direct attack on the academic integrity of researchers and staff at the university.
"The student movement is sending a very clear message to institutions that it is either full divestment or students in tents on campuses."
