Trinity’s full divestment from Israel must be catalyst for all further and higher education institutions

Trinity’s full divestment from Israel must be catalyst for all further and higher education institutions - The Labour Party

Labour spokesperson on further and higher education Senator Laura Harmon has welcomed the vote in Trinity College Dublin to end investment, supplier, commercial relationship, academic and research ties with Israel.

As Israel today designates humanitarian aid routes ‘combat zones’, Senator Harmon said there is a moral obligation on all education institutions to fully divest from and boycott Israel.

Senator Harmon said:

“I was proud to stand with the student movement in Trinity College Dublin today as they pushed the institution to fully divest from and boycott Israel. The power of student activism can never be underestimated, and the students’ protests have paid off today.

“The principled and brave stance of Trinity College students and staff should now act as a catalyst to all institutions across the country to follow suit, to fully divest from Israel and to cut all academic ties.

“There are no words to describe the depravity of what we are witnessing in Gaza. Irsael is now directly targeting humanitarian aid. There can be no doubt, what we are witnessing is a genocide. While roads are declared combat zones, families and children starve. It’s beyond belief.

“People across Ireland are pleading with us as public representatives. They are asking us to act – to reflect the values that define us as a country: humanitarianism, equality, solidarity, and peace. They want us to be their voice.

“The step taken by Trinity College Dublin is an important one. We must isolate Israel economically, culturally, academically. We must do all that we can as a nation to stop the bloodshed and work towards the attainment of a lasting ceasefire.”