Sign the open letter at this link

Dear Kingston University staff,

As much as concern has grown over the war in Gaza, growing violence in West Bank settlements, Israel and the wider region amongst our members, they are also taking inspiration from students and staff at UK universities who have spoken up to demand action and accountability from their institutions.

Kingston is not divorced from this system, and in stark contrast to its quick response to and guidance surrounding the war in Ukraine, has so far been silent on the ongoing genocide. This also stands in marked contrast to other UK institutions that have taken proactive steps in relation to Palestinian academics and students, announced a programme of commitments, and issued public statements around the genocide.

For this reason, Kingston UCU is calling on senior management to review and realign its policies with its core values, particularly as they relate to

• its duty of care to all students with a view to inclusion
• its investment portfolio with Barclays bank, whose own investments in the global arms trade is facilitating both genocide and ecocide in Gaza; this conflicts with our university’s commitment to sustainability and human rights.

Specifically, we demand that Kingston:

• Commits to support the Academic boycott of Israeli higher education institutions involved in supporting Israeli occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing or genocide in Palestine.
• Ceases its investments and loans with Barclays, noting that to do otherwise would breach the following publicly-stated intentions listed on the University’s current ethics action plan.
• Investigates and fully determines or discloses any direct or indirect investments, contracts or partnerships with any companies funding and supplying weapons to the Israeli military, and to fully divest from these contracts.
• Makes a public statement of an offer of support for Palestinian students and staff, modelled on its commendable actions in supporting Ukrainian students and building partnerships with Ukrainian academics, and commits to the rebuilding of the HE sector in Palestine.
• Calls on the UK government to cease arming Israel, and to support an immediate and permanent ceasefire as a first step to ending the occupation of Gaza and other parts of Palestine.

Please consider reading, and if you agree, signing the open letter at this link, and importantly, sharing the link with your colleagues. This letter is open to all Kingston University staff to sign whether they are a UCU member or not.

For further information on Barclays, see the Palestine Solidary Campaign, Boycott Barclays pages.