AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS — Students in the Netherlands and Belgium occupied parts of the universities of Amsterdam and Ghent on Monday to protest against Israel’s war against Hamas, joining international student protests inspired by those on US campuses.
At a campus of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in downtown Amsterdam, hundreds of students set up camp, pitching dozens of tents, playing in drum circles, and barricading access with wooden pallets.
The students want UvA and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) to stop their partnerships with Israel.
In neighboring Belgium, some 100 students also occupied a part of Ghent’s university, UGent.
Footage shared on social media shows students surrounded by tents chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has to go” in one of UGent’s buildings.
I disagree that being in favour of something means you agree with everything they do, but for the record, I’ve been to Palestine several times and I didn’t liked what Israel was doing back then, let alone the current disgusting atrocities that Netanyahu’s currently perpetuating.
I didn’t intend to say being pro-Israel means you’re okay with everything they do. What I’m trying to say is that in my experience, people interpret “pro-Israel” as being in support of the way in which Israel exists, namely an apartheid an ethnostate.
I’m envious of your trips to Palestine. One day I’ll get there. I have friends who said they will take me one day.