Concern among Israeli university officials has grown increasingly palpable as boycott initiatives against Israel have multiplied around the world. This movement emerged in response to the destruction of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. "We're looking at an exponential growth rate" of condemnations of academic partnerships, warned Emmanuel Nahshon, a diplomat tasked with assisting Israeli universities in their international relations, speaking before the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) on September 10. He described it as a "strategic threat" for Israel.

Invitations for Israeli researchers to attend international seminars have been canceled. Presentations at conferences have been postponed indefinitely. Professional associations have debated excluding colleagues from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. Projects involving Israeli universities have been put on hold. More dramatically, around 30 higher education institutions across Europe – particularly in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Spain – have ended all projects with Israeli partners. "This is a virus that spreads from one campus to the next, mainly in Europe but also worldwide," said Daniel Chamovitz, head of the Conference of University Presidents, before lawmakers.

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