On March 5, 2022, Israeli military forces raided the Abu Dis campus of Al Quds University, leading to clashes with students that included Israeli soldiers firing tear gas canisters and stun grenades.

According to Felesteen News, dozens of Palestinian students confronted Israeli soldiers who had stormed the campus. It appears that the raid occurred amidst a series of memorial services for Ammar Shafiq Abu Afifeh, who was killed by Israeli forces days earlier; SAR cannot confirm whether the raid was in connection with such services or related events on the Al Quds campus. During the resulting clashes, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades at the students, causing some to suffer respiratory issues. News outlets Raikhr, Safa, and Ma’an News reported that the soldiers used rubber bullets during the raid, with Safa in particular stating that students were injured but the soldiers surrounded the campus entrances and prevented them from leaving to seek medical care. 

Scholars at Risk is concerned by military forces entering campus space and using force against students. While security forces have a responsibility to maintain security and safety, they must also refrain from the disproportionate use of force and ensure that their actions do not endanger civilians. Absent a compelling reason to do so, campus raids and the use of force against students undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
https://www.maannews.net/news/2062109.html
https://felesteen.news/post/103788/الاحتلال–يقتحم–جامعة–القدس–واندلاع–مواجهات
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/128289
https://twitter.com/swilkinsonbc/status/1500201013202104322
https://twitter.com/ayaapal/status/1500069035433725952
https://raiakhr.com/?p=26344
https://safa.ps/post/323250/إصابة-العشرات-من-طلاب-جامعة-القدس-خلال-مواجهات-مع-الاحتلال