Universities across The Netherlands have expressed concern about a pro-Palestinian group’s freedom of information request to reveal their institutional links to Israeli and Jewish groups around the world. UNL, an umbrella body representing 14 higher education institutions in the country, say the request had caused “considerable unrest” and that they have appealed for more time.

Information has been requested about the universities’ ties with Israeli academic institutions and companies, and other groups “known for their active and unconditional support for Israel’s domination of the Palestinians”. The Central Jewish Board has called the request antisemitic and urged universities to refuse to comply

Binyomin Jacobs, the Dutch chief rabbi, said it “reeks of antisemitism” by inferring a “shadowy Zionist/Jewish cabal is operating in the Dutch university system”.

As a result, the 14 publicly funded institutions, including the University of Amsterdam, the University of Utrecht and the Delft University of Technology, made a joint statement saying they are suspending their compliance with a freedom of information query

The query has led to “distress and a feeling of insecurity. We regret this,” read the statement by the Universities of the Netherlands, an umbrella group representing the country’s public universities.

The institutions have asked for an undisclosed “time extension” in complying with the query, meaning that “currently no further steps are taken to retrieve, collect and/or transmit the information” sought in the query, the statement read.

The universities will “balance” the legal requirements of the freedom of information law that gave the query its legal standing with “other legal frameworks, including those guaranteeing the safety” of university staff, the statement also read.

  • Pray for wisdom for the Dutch universities unsettled by this freedom of information request. It is disturbingly reminiscent of attempts in history to identify and discriminate based on Jewish or Israeli identity or affiliation. 

Related Articles:

“Significant increase” in threat from Iran: New UK intelligence report confirms why Britain should ban the IRGC NOW

A new report has confirmed what CUFI has long been warning: the threat from Iran on the UK is not only real, but growing. The findings, detailed in a government-commissioned review,...

Labour’s actions have made the majority of British Jews feel less safe

Over the past year, CUFI UK has been calling out the bad practices of the UK government, particularly regarding Israel and antisemitism.Since Keir Starmer’s Labour took office in July...

“Blamed if they do, blamed if they don’t” – the return of an age-old antisemitic trope

A medieval antisemitic trope has re-emerged to weaponize the narrative, twisting Israel’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Even feeding the hungry is now grounds to vilify Israel — and history warns us...

Before lecturing Israel, Labour should get Britain’s house in order

A British government minister's recent remarks telling Israel to “get its house in order” are not only ill-judged, they are hypocritical and reveal a deeper problem within the Labour...

WATCH: CUFI Washington Summit Recap

The Lord's timing in orchestrating CUFI's 20th annual Washington Summit was perfect.The leadership of CUFI UK were pleased to join with Christians from across the United States in...

Subscribe to start receiving FREE TORCH magazines from CUFI UK