Dutch universities seek delay on request to reveal ‘Israeli and Jewish connections’
The Netherlands' chief rabbi had said the Rights Forum's freedom of information request 'reeks of antisemitism'
Michael Daventry is Jewish News’s foreign and broadcast editor
Universities across the Netherlands have asked for more time to the consider a pro-Palestinian organisation’s 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, said they had a statutory duty to respond under freedom of information rules, but added the request had caused “considerable unrest”.
There was an outcry in the Netherlands’ Jewish community after news of the request was made public last week.
The Rights Forum, a Palestinian advocacy group founded by former Dutch prime minister Dries van Agt, said it had made the request on behalf of university students who believed pro-Israel groups were stifling campus debates on Israel.
It said it asked the universities for information about their ties with Israeli academic institutions and companies, and other groups “known for their active and unconditional support for Israel’s domination of the Palestinians”.
According to a letter published by the Dutch weekly Jewish newspaper NIW, the Forum asked Dutch universities to reveal their links to dozens of organisations in Israel, the Netherlands and other countries including Britain.
The US-based Anti-Defamation League, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and the UK-based JNF Charitable Trust (JNF-UK) are among the organisations listed.
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”.
He said he was concerned by “the number of universities that were so compliant with such a transparently antisemitic request. It reminds us that most mayors cooperated during the occupation to pass on the names of their Jewish citizens to the Germans.”
Several universities confirmed to Jewish News this week that they had received the request, which they must answer under the Netherlands’ freedom of information laws.
But the UNL said they had asked the Rights Forum for a delay “so that they have time to process it”.
It said: “The request is for the disclosure of institutional partnerships between Dutch universities and the organisations specified in the request. It specifically excludes partnerships between individual academics.”
A statement added that there were grounds to exempt certain information, such as religious or philosophical beliefs, and that the universities would be considering these when deciding whether to publish.
The Rights Forum has been contacted for comment.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.