Science and knowledge are universal human achievements and endeavours, the results of which belong to mankind as a whole. The international scientific community has long cherished and upheld its values of neutrality, objectivity and universality. Scientific, research and other educational institutions, be it in Europe or elsewhere, are therefore rightfully focused on their stated goals of promoting knowledge and science, which, in theory, lie outside political debates.

In recent years and months, however, a most disturbing double standards has surfaced across the scientific spectrum: the oft-called “Palestine exception”. While research institutions have, at different times of history, not shied from taking political stances, including condemning invasions (Russia in Ukraine, e.g.) or despicable terrorist attacks on civilians, they have remained conspicuously silent on the unfolding genocide in Gaza. Why such double standards?

The genocide is no longer in doubt. Multiple UN organisms or Special Rapporteurs have qualified it as such, as have numerous human rights NGOs, including in Israel itself, and leading scholars on genocide. The ICC has charged B. Netanyahu and Y. Gallant with crimes against humanity. A man-made famine is under way in Gaza before the eyes of the world, and the Israeli government has openly announced its intention of invading and occupying the Gaza strip, in contradiction to every legal, moral or political principle.

Yet Israel, a country openly and actively committing a genocide, is a member of many august scientific institutions, such as CERN.

Such membership at this time does a disservice to science, to these scientific institutions, as it serves to legitimise a discourse of scientific and educational normality when a genocide is happening.

Israel is brazenly flouting international law: But supporting and abetting the crimes against humanity committed by Israel are themselves international crimes, which will without doubt require accountability in due time.

Europe, and the world at large, have long accepted the obligation to respect and uphold international human rights law: The European Union and all its institutions, including its research and scientific organs, are legally and morally bound by this obligation, and should not shy away from it at this most dire time.

We therefore urge scientific and research institutions to suspend Israel’s membership until its policies and actions are consistent with international law and the values the scientific community, and the world at large, hold dear. International scientific cooperation is meaningless as long as a member State is actively committing crimes which not only shock the conscience of mankind, but undermine the very idea of an international community.

As academics, we are gravely concerned for the Palestinians who face extinction, by bombing, starvation or expulsion, above all; but we are also concerned about the very soul of science and its hope of universal communication, which now seem to lie in the shattered ruins of Gazan universities and research labs.

ASWP, August 2025