After pressure from students, Federal University of Ceará cancels partnership with Israel

The Federal University of Ceará (UFC) canceled the notice for the 2nd Innovation Challenge Brazil-Israel. The initiative was aimed at innovation and inclusive economic and social development in both countries. The UFC president stated that it revoked the partnership due to the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. The university said that it signed the agreement before the conflict, and that it was wrong to maintain the event’s calendar given the seriousness of the “political situation in the Gaza Strip”.

“Although the activity is strictly academic and the result of a long-standing partnership, as well as the coordination to promote it was carried out before the outbreak of the current conflicts, the Institution admits that there was an error in evaluation in maintaining the calendar, given the political situation in the Gaza Strip”, said the institution in a statement released this Monday (8).

“The UFC recognizes the seriousness of the conflict, is firmly against the war and is outraged by all the human losses and destruction that have occurred. It also defends the guarantee of human rights of the populations affected in that region”, added the rectory.

The institution “deeply regretted the emergence of war conflicts and their impacts, including on the academic life of teaching and research institutions, both in Brazil and abroad.”

The Brazil-Israel Innovation Challenge was an initiative of UFC and Ben-Gurion University of Neguebe, in partnership with the State University of Ceará (UECE), the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará (IFCE), the University of Fortaleza (Unifor), the Ruppin Academic Center (Ruppin), the Peres Academic Center (Peres) and the Sapir Academic College (Sapir) in Israel.