Madrid, 14 January 2026. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) expresses its deep concern and firm condemnation regarding the events that took place on 6 January at Birzeit University, in the West Bank, involving a military operation by the Israeli army that occurred on the university campus during academic activities and which, according to available information, resulted in injuries.
Universities are fundamental spaces for the advancement of knowledge, higher education and the exercise of academic freedom. Any action that forcibly disrupts the normal functioning of these spaces constitutes a direct threat to the right to education and to the principles that underpin the university mission at international level.
CRUE recalls that the protection of educational spaces and of those who make up the academic community is an obligation enshrined in international law, and underscores the need to guarantee the safety, integrity and autonomy of universities, regardless of the contexts of conflict or political tension in which they may be operating.
The Conference expresses its solidarity with Birzeit University, its students, faculty and staff, and conveys its support to all those affected by these events, while reiterating its commitment to the defence of higher education as a public good, to international academic cooperation, and to the values of peace, respect for human rights and coexistence that must guide university life.
