University students in France call for end to academic cooperation with Israel

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) - University students in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis held an event Monday demanding French universities to end all cooperation with Israeli universities and institutions.

Gathering at a lecture hall at the University of Paris 8 to discuss further actions, they chanted pro-Palestinian slogans including "Long live Palestine."

They hung Palestinian flags and signs on the walls of the hall, with some saying "Free Palestine" and "Stop the genocide" while demanding an end to the cooperation between French-Israeli universities.

Discussing the possible designation of a common action day at all French universities, the students agreed to spread the demonstrations from universities to other locations.

Lisa, a protester, said the French police’s handling of university campuses is "unprecedented pressure."

Aicha, a member of the Palestine committee at Paris-Sorbonne University, (Paris IV), touched on the cooperation between French and Israeli universities.

She demanded that those French universities end their support for the "genocide" in Gaza through their partnerships with Israel.

The global wave of pro-Palestinian student demonstrations began on April 17 at New York’s Columbia University to protest Israel's offensive in Gaza and spread to other Western countries including the UK and France.