Staff and students at the University of Galway gathered at The Yellow Thing on 19 February 2025 to protest the university’s cooperation with EU funded “integrating seawater treatment and green hydrogen production project”.
One of the leading participants of this project is Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, a tech company which is directly working with Israel’s arms industry to develop new machines that are attacking Palestinians.
Over 100 staff and students gathered in the Quadrangle to show their disgust toward the University’s participation in the project.
The protest was organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Society who, in the last year, were promised by the University that they would not cooperate with any Israeli institutions.
Reports were released reviewing the University’s ties with Israeli institutions, yet they continue to participate in a project that is directly supporting the production of Israeli firearms.
A spokesperson from the society said, “We were engaging in good faith dialogue with the University for a year, they promised.”
In a statement made by the University on 31 May 2024 they outlined a review they would be undertaking regarding its links with Israel and Palestine:
“We are undertaking a review of our links as a university with Israel and Palestine. This review is taking place in the light of our commitment to peace, justice, and accountability”
Technion’s technology is responsible for multiple war crimes, and they are directly contributing to the oppression of Palestinian people in the West Bank.
An example of this can be seen in ‘The Scream’, a “non-lethal” acoustic system that ‘creates sound levels that are unbearable to humans at distances up to 100 meters.
“It’s honestly sadistic,” said the spokesperson.
This project is worth €1.5 million and is being coordinated by the University of Galway, who are contributing €706,845.65.
Technion is contributing a further €363,750.70 which is the second largest sum being contributed by a participant of the project.
Many members of the Palestine Solidarity Society spoke up at the protest on Wednesday, along with Students’ Union president Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, who expressed her anger toward the University:
“Our university was happy to say that it was ending its ties with Israel when it suited its press releases. When it suited it to portray an image of being leaders for Palestinian justice. However, underneath our noses, our university was choosing to coordinate a project involving Technion.
“For those of you who do not know, Technion has a long-standing history of working alongside Israeli military organisations these very same organisations are responsible for the annexation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in their native land, and I say shame!”
Mairéad Farrell, Sinn Féin TD for Galway West, was spoken on behalf of, as she was in the Dáil: “As Irish people we do not have the luxury to pretend we don’t know, to pretend that we do not understand. We have a duty to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and call the Israeli actions out for what they are, apartheid.
“But watching in horror is not enough, we need to do all we can to end this genocide.”
Elena is a first year Journalism student from Dublin studying at the University of Galway. This is her first time writing for SIN and also her first time writing for a newspaper. She can't wait to be a part of SIN and meet new people.