EKA staff, student body divided on Israeli university cooperation issue

The Estonian Academy of Arts' (EKA) recent ruling to terminate cooperation with an Israeli higher education institution has divided students and faculty at the Tallinn-based university.

Opinions vary on the emotional aspects to the move and its justification.

Historian David Vseviov, EKA emeritus professor, told "Aktuaalne kaamera" that the university had made the decision based on emotion, and that in any case it was unjustified; many students "Aktuaalne kaamera" spoke to were more supportive of the decision.

Vseviov said: "Since this decision is an emotional one, this is the reason why [EKA] has been silent on it."

"If the decision were justifiable, then people would have come forward and rationalized it. I have nothing against them explaining it as such. For example, if they had data showing that this specific university has officially stated in its documents that Palestinians should be eradicated, genocide conducted, or they should be starved, then it would have been completely comprehensible and justifiable why we would not want to cooperate with an institution like that. Everything would then be clear, yet nothing of the kind is present."

Reaction to recent events in the Middle East has been selective; the main issues clouded by emotion, he added.

"We have already reached such an emotional state that there are no arguments, no real understanding of history... I have sometimes asked, where is Jerusalem located? Show me on a map, and then they can't find it, and so on, and so on. This is worrying," said Vseviov.

EKA Rector Mart Kalm initiated the cancellation of the agreement – with Tel Aviv-based Shenkar University and visiting associate professor Jonathan Ventura, who was due to give the second half of a workshop at EKA in February.

The EKA's council, however, is urging a rethink.

Meanwhile, EKA lecturer Gregor Taul expressed caution on the decision and advises students not to lean towards extremes at either end, recommending they choose which hills to die on carefully and remain philosophical, taking in the arguments of both sides.

Taul also noted that many EKA students are responsible enough not to take extreme positions and understand that it would be foolish to do so.

Taul noted that when the current Israel-Palestine situation erupted, he asked his students if they knew anything about the ongoing civil war in Sudan.

Many did not, then he pointed out that more people have died in Sudan in one or two years than in the entire Palestine-Israel conflict, yet this gets largely ignored.

He also stated that Europe's failure to intervene in Sudan makes everyone complicit in what has been happening there.

As for EKA students, the Middle East conflict is a widely discussed topic, with film nights and protest actions organized around it.

Many students praised the university's decision to end cooperation with the Israeli university.

One, Mari, said: "I support this decision because I think it had to happen, considering what has been happening at the university and taking into account what EKA students and hopefully also the faculty think about the Palestine conflict."

"People strongly support Palestine and want the war to end. They want the conflict to end altogether. Events have been going on where people openly express their support for Palestine. Faculty won't discuss it though; it's more among the students," Mari added.

Another, Mano, said: "We live in a Europe based on the principle that international law and human rights organizations should be trusted, and they have made it clear that Israel is currently committing an act of genocide. Given this case, I think the decision is highly justified."

Taul said that EKA collaborating with many different countries is a positive thing in and of itself; whether the university could restore relations with Israeli institutions in the future is a topic for broader discussion across the university, he added.

This would present an opportunity for 1,200 students, faculty, and alumni to debate and to get to have their say, with many factors both for and against pursuing collaborative projects being put forward.

Taul also noted the discussions tend to be among the student body, rather than among professors, lecturers, and other staff.

Ventura had given the first half of his workshop at EKA in November and had reportedly briefly touched on the Israel-Palestine issues from a neutral standpoint ahead of giving the seminar, which progressed smoothly.

Eesti Kunstiakadeemia (EKA) emeriitprofessor David Vseviov ütles, et EKA otsus lõpetada koostöö Iisraeli ülikooliga on tehtud emotsioonide pealt ega ole põhjendatav. Tudengid seevastu toetavad ülikooli otsust.

"Sellepärast, et see otsus on emotsionaalne, sellepärast [EKA] vaikib. Kui otsus on põhjendatav, siis inimesed tulevad ja põhjendavad. Minul ei ole midagi selle vastu, et nad põhjendavad. No näiteks kui neil on andmed selle kohta, et see konkreetne ülikool on oma ametlikes dokumentides väitnud, et tuleb palestiinlased hävitada, korraldada genotsiid, nad ära näljutada, siis on täiesti arusaadav ja oleks igati põhjendatav, miks me sellise ülikooliga ei taha suhelda. Kõik oleks selge, aga midagi sellist ju ei ole," sõnas Vseviov.

Vseviov lisas, et reaktsioon Lähis-Idas toimuvale on olnud valikuline.

"Me oleme juba jõudnud niivõrd emotsioonide tasandile, et mingeid argumente, mingisugust reaalset arusaama ajaloost... ma olen vahetevahel küsinud, et kus see Jeruusalemm siis paikneb, näidake mulle kaardi peal, no siis seda leida ei suudeta ja nii edasi, nii edasi, nii edasi. Nii et see on muret tekitav," sõnas Vseviov.

Koostöö lõppemise taga on rektor Mart Kalm, kuid EKA nõukogu soovitas otsuse üle vaadata. Ka EKA lektor Gregor Taul on otsuse suhtes ettevaatlik ega soovita tudengitel ühte äärmusesse kalduda.

"Mina alati ütlen tudengitele, et valige oma võitluseid. Et kuhugi on vaja investeerida oma otsused, kas ma olen ühelt poolt või mitte. Soovitan tudengitel jääda filosoofiliseks ja näha ühe poole argumente ja teise poole argumente. Vähemalt nendest tundides, kus mina olen käinud ja nende tudengitega, kellega mina olen rääkinud, siis tudengid pigem ei taha võtta äärmuslikke positsioone, et ma olen nüüd ühelt poolt või teiselt poolt. Kuna enamus saab aru, et see on rumalus võtta selles nii äärmuslikku positsiooni," sõnas Taul.

Taul rääkis, et kui Iisraeli-Palestiina teema plahvatas, siis ta küsis oma tudengitelt, kas nad teavad midagi Sudaani kodusõja kohta.

"Paljud ei teadnud, mõned teavad. Ja see, et Sudaanis on aasta-kahe jooksul surnud mitu korda rohkem inimesi, kui Ukrainas ja Palestiina-Iisraeli konfliktis, me ei tea sellest midagi. Me ei pane sellele tähelepanu ja samas see, et Euroopa ei astu vahele, teeb meist kõigist süüdlased," rääkis Taul.

Üliõpilaste seas on Lähis-Ida konflikt levinud teema: korraldatud on nii selle teemalisi filmiõhtuid kui ka protestiaktsioone. Mitmed tudengid kiidavad ülikooli otsust katkestada koostöö Iisraeli ülikooliga.

"Ma toetan seda otsust, sellepärast, et ma arvan, et see pidi juhtuma, vaadates seda, mis praegu on ülikoolis toimunud ja võttes arvesse seda, mis EKA õpilased ja ka loodetavasti õppejõud arvavad Palestiina konfliktist," rääkis Mari.

"Inimesed väga toetavad Palestiinat ja soovivad sõja lõppu. Soovivad üldse konflikti lõppu ja toimunud on ka üritusi ja inimesed avameelselt väljendavad oma poolehoidu Palestiinale. Õppejõud ei räägi sellest, see on õpilaste seas pigem," lisas Mari.

"Me ikkagi elame Euroopas selle põhimõtte järgi, et rahvusvahelist õigust ja rahvusvahelisi inimõigusorganisatsioone tuleks usaldada, ja nad on selgeks teinud, et Iisrael korraldab hetkel genotsiidi ja sellisel juhul ma arvan, et see otsus on väga õigustatud," rääkis Mano.

Tauli hinnangul on positiivne, et EKA teeb koostööd paljude eri riikidega. Kas tulevikus võiks ülikool taastada suhtluse Iisraeli õppeasutustega, on tema sõnul arutelukoht tervele ülikoolile.

"See on koht laiemaks aruteluks ja kus 1200 tudengit, õppejõud, ka vilistlased saavad arutada, öelda sõna sekka. Ma leian, et siin on väga palju põhjuseid, miks ei peaks, aga on ka piisavalt palju põhjuseid, miks peaks tegema koostööprojekte," sõnas Taul.

Toimetaja: Mari Peegel

Allikas: AK