SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: April 12, 2022

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances | Other

Institution(s):Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie

Region & Country:Western Asia | Palestine (OPT)

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On April 12, 2022, Israeli soldiers raided the Palestine Technical University campus in Kadoorie and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at students.

The basis for the raid is unclear, but it reportedly followed protests across the West Bank.

Middle East Monitor reported that Israeli soldiers raided the campus from its western side, near Israel’s separation wall. The university evacuated students and suspended classes for the day. Israeli soldiers chased after and clashed with students who fled the campus, according to Middle East Monitor. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that two students were wounded by steel-coated rubber bullets, while another 16 suffered from tear gas inhalation.

Scholars at Risk is concerned by a military raid on a higher education campus and the use of force against students. While security forces have a responsibility to maintain security and safety, they must also refrain from raids on campuses and the use of force, absent a compelling reason. Such actions undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://www.yenisafak.com/ar/world/3582504
https://pchrgaza.org/en/israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-weekly-update-07-13-april-2022/
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220413-occupied-palestine-students-wounded-in-israeli-raid-at-university/
https://www.siasat.com/dozens-of-palestinian-students-injured-in-israeli-raid-in-west-bank-2308017/
https://msdrnews.com/120030/التعليم-العالي-تدين-اقتحام-الاحتلال-ج/