Irish Centre for Human Rights Blog

Dear President,

Thank you for joining the opening session of our Masters programmes at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, as we mark 25 years of postgraduate and doctoral training in international human rights and humanitarian law. We look forward to your support in our ongoing work promoting human rights through our research, teaching and public engagement. 

We are writing now, however, to express our disappointment and very serious concern at the decision taken by the University Management team not to terminate the University of Galway’s ASTERISK research grant collaboration with Technion University. As we stated in previous correspondence to the former Interim President, Professor McHugh, our clear understanding is that Technion works with the Israeli arms industry and is complicit in serious breaches of international law. 

Legal advice was referenced in the email circulated to all staff by Professor McHugh on 5 September 2025, to justify the decision not to terminate the partnership with Technion University. However, this is not a complete or acceptable explanation of a decision that cannot be justified, at this critical moment for international law, peace and human rights. We call on you to make available the content of this legal advice, as continued collaboration with Technion is without any apparent legal justification and exposes the University of Galway to legal liability. As explained below, the University’s prevailing legal obligations require – without qualification or reasonable dispute – that the University of Galway immediately cease collaborating with Technion.

We urge you in your role as President of the University of Galway, to invoke the relevant provisions of the grant agreement relating to disputes arising, and to progress the process for removing a partner University from the research collaboration. The grounds for doing so are clear and exceptional. Failure to do so would render the University complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people and in continuing violations of international law by the State of Israel, which Technion has a direct involvement with militarily.

We recall that on 16 September 2025, at the 60^th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, presented its legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza having regard to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Report’s conclusions are clear:

Para. 252. The Commission concludes on reasonable grounds that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have committed and are continuing to commit the following actus reus of genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, namely (i) killing members of the group; (ii) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (iii) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and (iv) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group. 

Para. 253. On incitement to genocide, the Commission concludes that Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have incited the commission of genocide and that Israeli authorities have failed to take action against them to punish this incitement. […]

Para. 254. On the mens rea of genocide, the Commission concludes that statements made by Israeli authorities are direct evidence of genocidal intent. In addition, the Commission concludes that the pattern of conduct is circumstantial evidence of genocidal intent and that genocidal intent was the only reasonable inference that could be drawn from the totality of the evidence. Thus, the Commission concludes that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have had and continue to have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In its Recommendations to UN Member States, the Commission of Inquiry calls upon States to:

(c) Ensure individuals and corporations in their territories and within their jurisdiction are not involved in the commission of genocide, aiding and assisting the commission of genocide or incitement to commit genocide and investigate and prosecute those who may be implicated in these crimes under international law.

The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, described the Commission’s report as “definitive and significant”. He also called for the wider world to raise the pressure on Israel to “stop this carnage” and the “slaughter of civilians”. On 22 September 2025, the Taoiseach addressed the UN General Assembly and described what is happening in Palestine as genocide. President Michael D. Higgins, to whom the University of Galway Aula Maxima has been dedicated, has repeatedly called for action to end genocide in Gaza, noting that, “The realm of unaccountability is the most serious threat to democracy.”  

On 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a series of Provisional Measures directed at the State of Israel, as the rights of the Palestinian people risked irreparable harm as a result of violations of the Genocide Convention. Further measures were ordered on 28 March 2024 and 25 May 2024 due to the deteriorating situation. We note also that the ICJ, in its landmark advisory opinion, Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (19 July 2024), declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, encompassing the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, as unlawful under international law and emphasised that Israel’s actions amount to annexation. The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion noted that Israel’s actions include forcible transfer, racial discrimination and segregation or apartheid, and a violation of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.  The International Criminal Court has also issued warrants of arrest for the Prime Minister of Israel, and former Minister for Defence, for various war crimes and crimes against humanity. Among the crimes charged are starvation as a method of warfare.

The UN Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council (to which Ireland seeks election in 2026), have called upon all UN Member States to:

1. Cancel or suspend economic relationships, trade agreements and academic relations with Israel that may contribute to its unlawful presence and apartheid regime in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Irish Centre for Human Rights works with the UN mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Palestine and has also prepared the background research report for the UN Division on Palestinian Rights that led to the request submitted by the UN General Assembly for the ICJ Advisory Opinion. We note that in 2024, the University of Galway conferred an alumni award for Law, Public Service and Society, on Palestinian human rights defender, Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organisation. Adjunct Professor of Human Rights at the University of Galway, Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC (Matrix Chambers), was a member of the legal team representing South Africa, in the ongoing case initiated by South Africa against Israel under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice. Ireland is an intervening party in the case, as a committed supporter of the Genocide Convention, and with a stated aim to strengthen protection of civilians and to combat impunity for genocide.

We are concerned that the University of Galway management team will be contributing to the commission and facilitation of genocide in Palestine, if it fails to terminate this partnership with Technion University. The University management team cannot reasonably dispute this conclusion, nor can it shield itself with legal advice when faced with the contrary and authoritative view of preeminent international bodies, genocide scholars and experts, and the official position of the Government of Ireland.

We note also that Professor McHugh’s email to all staff refers to the University’s governance processes. As we have highlighted in our previous correspondence to Professor McHugh, there are clearly very serious concerns in relation to the governance and management failings that led to the conclusion of the ASTERISK grant agreement in direct violation of public commitments and statements made by the former President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, which followed extensive consultations with staff and students. The conclusion of the grant agreement, without any human rights impact assessment applied, directly contravenes the commitments made in the University of Galway’s June 2024 Report on the Review of Links with Israeli and Palestinian Institutions and Industry particularly at paras: 5.1, at 5.4. 

Given the public statements made by the former President, and the publication of the 2024 Report, there was a legitimate expectation on the part of students, staff and the wider public, that the University management team would take seriously the commitment to ensuring compliance with human rights law in the exercise of the University’s functions.  We note that, as a public body, the University of Galway is subject to the duty to promote equality and human rights, per section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act.  This is an obligation of progressive realization, reflecting also an obligation of non-regression in the promotion and protection of equality and human rights. 

We also note the many statements made by the office of the President and the University management team, stating the University’s position as a values-led institution.  Failing to terminate the agreement with Technion University brings into question the efficacy of the University’s governance and management processes, and the credibility of its stated commitment to human rights and equality.

As with any research agreement, there is provision for termination and removal of a partner. The force majeure arguments can hardly be clearer. The University of Galway management team, and the office of the President, should not allow itself to be placed on the side of history that is complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Silence, and referring to legal advice that appears not to take account of the obligations of prevention of genocide, or culpability for complicity in genocide, is unacceptable and without justification. 

We recognize and are deeply grateful to the office and staff of the Vice President for Equality Diversity and Inclusion and all staff engaged in the University of sanctuary programme, who have undertaken hugely important and life-saving work in recent months, supporting students evacuated from Gaza and commencing studies at the University of Galway. 

We call upon you to terminate the partnership with Technion University with immediate effect and to restore the University’s reputation and standing as a public University, committed to human rights and equality. 

Yours sincerely,

Professor Siobhán Mullally; Dr Mais Qandeel; Professor Ray Murphy; Dr Anita Ferrara; Professor Shane Darcy; Dr Paul Bradfied; Dr Edel Hughes; Dr Maeve O’Rourke; Dr Illan Wall; Dr Joel Hanisek; Dr Róisín Mulgrew; Dr Rory Kelly; Professor Roja Fazaeli; Professor Ciara Smyth; Professor Ekaterina Yahyaoui Krivenko.

Irish Centre for Human Rights, School of Law, University of Galway

Read the original letter here.