Italian academics sign petition to boycott Israeli universities

As many as 168 Italian academics and researchers are calling to suspend all agreements on cooperation with the Technion Institute and universities in Israel on the grounds that they participate in violations of international law and support the occupation.

The Italian academics and researchers, who belong to seven separate universities across Italy, claimed in their petition that the Technion engages in military research and develops weapons that the Israeli army uses to "repress the Palestinian people."

"Israeli universities collaborate on military research and development of weapons used by the Israeli army against the Palestinian population, providing undeniable support to the military occupation and colonization of Palestine," the petition continues.

"Technion is involved more than any other university in the Israeli military-industrial complex. The Institute carries out research in a wide range of technologies and weapons used to oppress and attack Palestinians."

The petitioners also claim that a Technion development project contributed to the development of the Caterpillar D9 bulldozer "used by the Israeli army to demolish Palestinian homes and the implementation of a method for detecting underground tunnels, developed specifically to maintain Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip.

"Technion develops joint research programs and collaborates with the Israeli army and the main weapons manufacturing companies in Israel, including Elbit Systems," the petition continues.

"Among the largest private weapons producers, Elbit Systems manufactures the drones used by the Israeli army to fire on civilians in Lebanon in 2006 and in Gaza in 2008-2009 and in 2014 and provides surveillance equipment for Israel’s Apartheid Wall."