The student council of the Hertie School has – uniquely in Germany – sided with the BDS campaign. Another student union therefore sees antisemites in the next “generation of leaders”. Financial backers are outraged.

The student council of the private Hertie School in Berlin has adopted a resolution supporting the international boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel (BDS) as well as the Palestinian campaign for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The motion was passed with more than 90 per cent approval, according to a statement released last Thursday. Eleven of the twelve elected representatives are said to have voted in favour; there were no votes against.

It is the first representation at a German university to officially back the campaigns against Israeli crimes. In doing so, the Hertie students also distance themselves from the nationwide umbrella organisation FZS, which in the context of the Gaza war clearly spoke out against anti-Israeli criticism and even approved the dissolution of protest camps at German universities.

The resolution of the Hertie student council stipulates that financial resources under the control of the student representation should in future no longer be used for events or measures connected with institutions accused of human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. It also calls for the establishment of a review committee that is to examine existing financial relationships of the university and formulate corresponding recommendations.

The president of the Hertie School, Cornelia Woll, responded to the resolution with a circular email to students and staff and distanced herself from the “so-called BDS”. In any case, the allocation of budgets did not lie with the student council, Woll reminded recipients, while also distancing herself “in the strongest possible terms from any antisemitic positions”.

In doing so, the president refers to a 2019 Bundestag resolution that accuses the BDS movement – which is also supported by many Israelis – of antisemitism. Since 2023, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has classified the BDS campaign as a “suspected extremist case”, as it allegedly calls Israel’s “right to exist” into question.

The former Christian Democratic Party federal education minister Annette Schavan and chair of the foundation board of the private university demanded that the university leadership convene a general assembly and called for consequences against the student council. The foundation board intends to decide on this in a special meeting.

The Jewish Student Union Germany (JSUD) responded by equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Its president Ron Dekel stated that the aim of the Hertie School must be “to educate a next generation of leaders that Jews can rely on”.

Located on Friedrichstraße in Berlin, the Hertie School sees itself as a training institution for leaders in government, business and civil society. Around 950 students from more than 70 countries are currently enrolled. Since the start of the Gaza war, there have repeatedly been pro-Palestinian protests at the university. At the 2024 graduation ceremony, numerous graduates wore kufiya scarves. President Woll commented on this as a “sign of solidarity with the terrible plight of the Palestinians”.

A student initiative last year called for an end to cooperation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. An internal survey among students is said to have shown that a narrow majority supports the proposal.

Published in German in „nd“.

Image: Israeli army launches tank offensive against the Gaza Strip (Israeli army).