Israeli and Palestinian scientists pursue collaborations in the midst of conflicts

Throughout 15 months of brutal war in the Middle East, an improbable cross-border scientific collaboration lasted. The ornithologists of the University of Tel Aviv in Israel continued to meet online with their counterparts in Jordan, the Palestinian territories and European countries to study the potential of barn owls (Tyto Alba) to reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture.

The project Indicates the owls to devour eating rodents of cultures Instead of counting on farmers using toxic rodentides to control populations. In January, shortly after a ceasefire that was signed between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, researchers from 13 countries gathered in Greece. Their mission was to discuss how to extend the use of barn owls for biological control and promote the project as an example of research collaboration to promote peaceful coexistence.

The first 42-day phase of the ceasefire officially ended on March 1. The talks between various parts have taken over in Doha, Qatar, but a huge uncertainty hangs over what will then happen, especially if the ceasefire will last. Despite the opposition of many countries, the Israeli government is currently blocking food and fuel at the entrance to Gaza. He also ceased to provide electricity to the main desalination plant in Gaza, aimed at putting Hamas to extend the first phase of the ceasefire.

“I am not naive,” explains Yossi Leshem, founder of the project and ornithologist at Tel Aviv University. “The ceasefire is very fragile. I hope that (this) will continue permanently, but the situation is always very sensitive. »»

Leshem and other Israeli scientists say Nature that they are determined to continue their research and to continue collaborations. Among them, David Lehrer, director of the Center for Applied Environmental Diplomacy at the Arava Institute, based in Ketura, in southern Israel.

Lehrer coordinates an effort with the Palestinian non -profit organization Damour for Community Development, which has offices in Gaza and in the West Bank. In January, 60 Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli experts Puts Athens to discuss how to solve water, energy, food security and global environmental problems in the Middle East. Last week, the group announced other studies on seven project ideas. One is to create an artificial structure from the rubble of destroyed buildings. The structure would house solar energy or water desalination infrastructure.

“Seventy percent of the Gaza buildings and almost all infrastructure has been destroyed due to the war,” said Lehrer. Currently, “the rubble is a major environmental and humanitarian threat, due to chemicals released as buildings have been destroyed and the large amount of unploded prescription mixed with rubble,” he adds.

Any project to reconstruct “will require major coordination between Israel and Palestine and can only be carried out if all parties, including the international community, are fully on board”.

Coexistence in the middle of boycott

After October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks against IsraelThe country has led intense, Mortal air strikes On the populated areas of Gaza for 15 months. For most of this period, Israel was also at war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Certain universities in Europe have suspended links in institutions with universities in Israel. For example, the Council of Rectors of Francophone Universities in Belgium, said in a statement in January Whether it engages in suspending institutional collaborations with organizations, whatever their origin, which support several times or are directly involved in violations of international law and human rights.

In an open letter Published last May, some 185 researchers and university administrators of Gaza wrote: “We expand our sincere assessment to the national and international institutions that have been united with us, providing support and assistance during these difficult times. However, we highlight the importance of coordinating these efforts to effectively reopen Palestinian universities in Gaza. »»

The neurobiologist Mouna Maroun, rector of the University of Haifa in Israel, opposes the boycotts of Israeli universities. “The academic world is an opportunity to share knowledge and do research in complete freedom,” explains Maroun, Arab-Israeli citizen. “Residents of the Middle East have common problems, more than factors that can differentiate themselves and distinguish between us.”

Tamir Sheafer, rector of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, agrees. “The Israeli academic world is independent of the government,” he said. “At the Hebrew University, 20% of our students are Arab-Palestinian, including thousands of students from East Jerusalem. We maintained our coexistence here on campus throughout the war. »»

In February, the Israeli association of university leaders published a report which recorded nearly 500 complaints by Israeli boycott researchers by institutions abroad and professional university associations. The researchers reported the rejection of the articles, the disruption of conferences, the avoidance of the peer exam, the difficulties in obtaining funding and “a request from the Israelis to declare anti-Israeli intentions as a condition for continuous participation in a conference”.

Some international academics refuse requests for vision of the peers of Israeli researchers because of the war, according to the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), the main research agency for the country’s research, although these refusals are relatively rare, explains Tamar Jaffe-Mittwoch, the director general of the ISF, based in Jerusalem.

These Gaza scientists maintain research alive in the midst of war, destruction and uncertainty

In 2024, the ISF approached around 22,000 mainly international researchers for 6,600 subsidy review positions. “We were very worried,” said physicist Daniel Zajfman, who chairs the ISF university council. “We thought,” No one wants to look at Israeli science, “he adds. Among these, around 170 potential examinators refused to review the candidacies, explicitly citing political reasons-some doing it politely, says Zajfman, and others not as politely, says Jaffe-Mittwoch.

The scholarship continues

Although military service in Israel is compulsory for most adult citizens, war has not reduced scientific production in the country, according to ISF data. In 2024, grant applications increased by 10%, compared to around 2,500 requests received each year in previous years. Zajfman thinks that this increase can be partly attributed to the determination of scientists to continue their scholarship. “The feeling is that we cannot allow these events, this war, to affect what we are doing now,” he says.