Editorial: ​A shameful anti Israeli step by Trinity College, Dublin

​Trinity College Dublin is to divest from new arrangements with Israeli universities, firms and institutions.

In a capitulation to anti Israeli activists, university – long considered Ireland’s best – made the decision to divest from Israeli links yesterday.

For pro-Palestinian activists it is only the beginning – they have called on other Irish universities to follow suit.

Trinity had already capitulated to students who formed an encampment on the campus in protest against a 214,285 euro fine imposed on the students’ union over a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university’s ties to Israel.

Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist.

This pledge from the university led to students dismantling the camp.

The university has now provisionally accepted a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel, recommending that Trinity enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms.

This is a shameful decision from the premier university in one of the most anti Israeli nations in western Europe.

Trinity is not high in the listings of global universities so this will not hit Israel in the way it would if the many great American universities followed suit. But what a symbolic victory for those sly supporters of Hamas, of which there are so many in the Republic – protestors who don’t in fact openly endorse those Islamic extremist mass murdering barbarians, but who put all their ire on Israel, even after the October7 massacre of civilians that began the war.

Israel is pro rata to its small population the most stunning academic and technological hyper civilisation on earth.

Trinity should be delighted to have links with Israeli universities.