This decision follows the publication of an open letter signed by almost 6,700 students and staff, urging universities to sever their academic ties with Israel ‘’due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories.’’

The Flemish universities will no longer enter into new cooperation agreements with Israeli partners ‘’involved in serious human rights violations,’’ the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) announced on Friday.

”Current projects have been subjected to an additional in-depth examination, on a case-by-case basis, at all universities, also in light of the seriousness of the conflict”, it said.

This decision follows the publication of an open letter in mid-January, signed by almost 6,700 students and staff, urging universities to sever their academic ties with Israel ‘’due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories.’’

Among the signatories were 32 faculty deans, 1,279 professors, 1,574 researchers, 657 administrative and technical staff and 3,343 students.

Several personalities holding honorary doctorates awarded by various universities had also supported the call for a boycott.

Television producer and war journalist Rudi Vranckx, climate activist Greta Thunberg, musician Brian Eno and stage director Ish Ait Hamou were among those who signed the open letter.

The VLIR’s French-speaking counterpart, has also pledged to “suspend institutional collaborations with organizations, whatever their origin, that repeatedly support or are directly involved in violations of international law and human rights”, without however specifying the organizations currently targeted.

The debate over academic cooperation with Israeli institutions has been going on for some time. Last year, student groups in several Belgian universities staged protests calling on their universities to cut ties with Israel in response to the war in Gaza.