The student group ”GU Students for Palestine” is demanding that the University of Gothenburg terminate all collaborations with Israeli institutions. This demand reignited a controversy that initially garnered significant attention the previous year when the group erected a protest encampment outside the university’s main building in Vasaparken. The protest, involving a physical occupation of university grounds, was eventually disbanded by police intervention in November. However, the group’s core demands remain unchanged.
Over the recent holiday period, the group’s spokesperson, Taha Khatab, sent an email to the university’s administration reiterating their demands and issuing what they termed a “final warning.” The email asserted that the group’s patience had worn thin and that further inaction by the university regarding collaborations with Israeli institutions, which the group accuses of complicity in the ”genocide of the Palestinian people,” would result in unspecified actions. The email further emphasized that these actions would be “powerful, visible, and impossible to ignore.” This communication has sparked a police investigation into potential unlawful threats, as reported by Göteborgs-Posten. While the university itself did not file the police report, Rector Malin Broberg responded to Khatab directly, expressing concern over the email’s perceived threatening tone, and emphasizing the university’s commitment to the safety and security of its students and staff.
Taha Khatab expressed regret that his message was interpreted as a threat and clarified in a subsequent email to Rector Broberg that the group does not intend to resort to violence or illegal activities. He explained that the phrase “final warning,” similar to language used by international bodies like the UN when addressing critical issues such as climate change or genocide, was meant to emphasize the urgency and gravity of the situation. Khatab maintains that his message was forceful but not threatening, questioning whether the university’s reaction would have been the same had the email been sent by a European student. He suggests that his Palestinian identity played a role in the university’s interpretation and response.
University Director Johan Johansson, responding on behalf of the Rector who was on leave, refuted Khatab’s allegation of bias as unfounded. He underscored that the university’s response was solely based on the wording and perceived threat contained within the email, not the sender’s identity. Johansson further explained that the email significantly differed in tone from previous communications received from the student group, which also claimed to represent university faculty and staff. He highlighted the phrase ”powerful actions” as particularly concerning. Khatab reiterated the group’s commitment to non-violent methods, citing their recent engagements, such as a meeting with the Left Party’s youth wing and preparations for an appearance at the Gothenburg Film Festival, as examples of their ongoing activism. However, he declined to disclose the group’s future plans in detail, stating only that their actions would remain within legal boundaries.
The student group’s accusations against Israeli institutions and their characterization of the conflict in Gaza as genocide have drawn further attention and controversy. An investigation into these claims is currently underway at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Following media coverage of the email exchange, Khatab’s name and picture were published on several far-right websites and platforms, leading to a barrage of racist and hateful comments, including explicit death threats. Khatab has subsequently filed a police report regarding these threats and sought support from the university. He expressed disappointment that Rector Broberg publicly characterized his email as threatening, questioning the university’s commitment to the safety and well-being of Palestinian students.
The university responded to Khatab, condemning the threats he received and encouraging him to contact the police. They also reminded him of the availability of student health services for support. This incident highlights the ongoing tension surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its reverberations within academic institutions, raising questions about freedom of speech, protest tactics, and the universities’ responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of their community. The situation also underscores the challenges of navigating complex political issues within an academic environment and the potential for such discourse to escalate into personal attacks and threats.
