The silence of Swedish universities cannot be defended on the grounds of neutrality or the pursuit of objectivity – on the contrary, it contradicts the common principles of knowledge production worldwide, namely critical thinking, research ethics and human rights. Condemning genocidal killing and ethnic cleansing should be a matter of course for an engaged and critical academy that defends human rights and fundamental democratic values.

As academics working in Swedish universities, we are concerned about the silence that paralyses our institutions and prevents them from standing up against genocide and ethnic cleansing. We note a widespread fear of reprisals among our colleagues. These are signs that an unfree and restricted research and education environment is taking shape in Sweden.

Swedish universities should take the lead in joining the academic boycott of Israeli universities and academic institutions, in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the guidelines for academic and cultural boycott adopted by the international Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign. The boycott excludes institutional collaborations, but does not prevent individual collegial exchanges with Israeli scholars without institutional ties, nor projects based on a clear recognition of Palestinian rights in accordance with the principles of international law.

We also look forward to Swedish universities developing resources to offer Palestinian academics opportunities to continue their research in peace and security at our universities around the country.

Writes 70 active professors, lecturers, doctors and associate professors at universities and colleges in Sweden. Published in Dagens ETC 12 June 2024.