A banner is displayed in the hall of the University of Geneva occupied by student protestors and activists.
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AFP
More than 1,300 students and faculty members from universities in India and overseas have written a letter urging the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru to cancel an event called the “India-Israel Business Summit” scheduled to be held on September 23.
The signatories said allowing the event would “amount to direct support for Israel’s genocide in Palestine and its aggressive actions against its neighbours”.
The event is being organised by an organisation named Think India, the Indian Chamber of International Business and the Mysore Lancers Heritage Foundation at an auditorium in the Indian Institute of Science.
“The summit aims to bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from both countries to discuss and explore potential areas of cooperation, foster partnerships, explore synergies, and drive innovation,” said Think India in a social media post.
It added that discussions will be held on bilateral trade and investments between India and Israel, defence and cybersecurity, startup and venture capital, sustainable technology and water technology.
In their letter to Govindan Rangarajan, the director of the Indian Institute of Science, the students and faculty members pointed out the scale of destruction caused by Israel’s war on Gaza.
They also said they were deeply concerned that the institution was “sponsoring and hosting” the event.
Israel’s military offensive against Gaza began on October 7 after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing 1,200 persons and taking over 200 hostages. Since then, Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza. The attacks have killed more than 40 thousand persons, including 16,500 children.
“Israel has destroyed every university in Gaza,” read the letter. “It has also destroyed healthcare facilities, leading to the resurgence of diseases such as polio. The World Food Agency estimates that 96% of Gazans are facing food insecurity. Alongside, Israel has also launched brutal raids on the West Bank and just this last week, Israel engaged in terrorist attacks in Lebanon by remotely detonating electronic devices, many of which were in civilian areas.”
The letter also pointed to the July ruling of the International Court of Justice, which said Israel’s continued presence in the Palestinian territories violates international law and must end “as rapidly as possible”.
The students and faculty members said that the United Nations General Assembly also recently adopted a resolution to end Israel’s “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” within 12 months.
“We also witness the world academic community and various universities divesting from Israel due to students and faculty members coming out in solidarity with Palestine,” read the letter. “In this situation, it is unconscionable for IISc to encourage collaborations between India and Israel.”
It said the signatories were especially concerned that one of the planned tracks of discussion was in defence and cybersecurity.
In view of this, the signatories asked Rangarajan to stop the event and “not allow the use of the Indian Institute of Science as a platform to legitimise genocide and colonialism”.
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