Scottish university removes rector from key roles after criticism of Israel

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Stella Maris, the rector of St Andrews University in Scotland, has been removed from the university's governing body after she issued a statement in November that called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, local media reported.

The statement said that the Palestinians had been subjected to “practices such as apartheid, siege (and) illegal occupation," according to the daily The National.

Her removal came following an investigation into whether Maris’ behavior was “compatible with the responsibilities and standards placed on her” in her role as rector.

Expressing her disappointment with the decision, Maris said: “It is clear that I have been removed from university court because I called for an end to Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, and I will not apologise for doing so."

However, Ray Perman, the senior lay member and chair of the university court, said that the decision does not affect Maris' freedom of speech, "to which she is entitled."

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Nearly 39,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 91,000 injured, according to local health authorities.