Students, alumni, and staff of the Jagiellonian University (UJ) have submitted an open letter to Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jacek Popiel. The signatories express their horror at the extensive destruction caused by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip. The academic community is urging Poland’s oldest university to respond decisively.

On May 15, students and staff from the Jagiellonian University held a protest in front of the Collegium Novum, the university's main building in Krakow. This marked the first demonstration related to the Israel-Hamas war organised by the academic community in Poland. Approximately 150 people attended the event, waving Palestinian flags and banners advocating for peace. The letter was handed over to the chancellor without journalists present.

"[...] Israel's actions are a textbook example of genocide," states a letter from the Jagiellonian University community. The authors of the document recall that at least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza war, including 14,500 children. More than 62% of dwellings have been destroyed, leaving over one million people homeless. The estimated value of the damage is 18.5 billion dollars.

The letter to the Chancellor of Jagiellonian University details the extensive destruction that has affected educational, scientific, and cultural institutions. The Israeli army has targeted all universities in the Gaza Strip. The list of victims includes 95 academics, over 5,000 students and pupils, and 261 teachers and school administration staff. Figures show that 625,000 children have been deprived of access to education, as most of Gaza's schools have been reduced to ruins.

Students and staff at Jagiellonian University are calling on the university authorities to take a clear stand. They demand:

• Condemnation of Israel's attack on Gaza and its occupation of Palestine;
• Cessation of cooperation with Israeli research centres and academic institutions;
• Disclosure of information on the nature and extent of Jagiellonian University's collaboration with Israeli entities;
• Boycotting Israeli institutions nationally and internationally until the occupation of Palestine ends, the right of Palestinians to self-determination is recognised, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees is acknowledged.

"We regard the university’s inaction as tantamount to tacit acceptance of crimes against humanity," write the letter's authors to the chancellor of Jagiellonian University.

Demonstrations protesting Israel's actions in Gaza have been taking place at universities worldwide. Protests have impacted academic centres in the USA, Belgium, France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, and India, among others. Demonstrations at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Amsterdam, where clashes with the police occurred, were particularly tumultuous. However, the demonstration in Krakow was peaceful and without major incidents.

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza