THE Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis has joined calls for the rector of St Andrews University to be reinstated to her position in the university court after she was dismissed due to her criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Rector Stella Maris lost her position as a trustee on the university’s governing body after she sent an e-mail to all students calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza back in November.
In the e-mail she described Israel’s continuing attacks on Gaza as “genocidal”.
An investigation into the e-mail by Morag Ross KC said the message may have made some students “fear for their safety” but concluded that it would be “disproportionate” to dismiss Maris.
But bosses still decided to remove her from the university court leading some to accuse St Andrews University of “political censorship”.
Now, more than 40 legal experts, academics and campaigners have signed an open letter to the university calling for Maris to be immediately reinstated.
Signatories include the economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and prominent Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar.
The letter reads: “We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with Rector Stella Maris of St Andrews University, who has been shamefully dismissed from the University's governing body and removed as a trustee.
“We condemn the decision to remove her after she called for an end to Israel’s genocide and apartheid, a statement supported by the overwhelming majority of St Andrews University students.
“We call on the University to immediately reinstate Stella Maris to University Court and as a trustee.
This is outrageous. Israel is committing genocide. It is guilty of the crime of apartheid. It is not antisemitism to say this. Equating Jewish people with Israel is itself antisemitic. And it is anti-Palestinian racism to erase the Palestinian experience like this. https://t.co/3ptO1E4UJL
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) August 1, 2024
“Stella Maris should not be made a scapegoat for doing and saying the right thing.
“The University is acting outside its legal duty to protect individuals' academic freedom under the Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2026, part 2.
“The silencing of pro-Palestinian or anti-genocide voices is one of the reasons why this genocide is still going on after ten months.
“The respected British Medical Journal - The Lancet - reports that the number of Palestinians killed directly or indirectly since October 7 is at least 186,000 people.
“The world is observing these atrocities unfold to the utter indifference of so-called world leaders.
“We find it shocking that a university that prides itself on being a bastion of learning should stifle free speech by ‘victimising’ Stella Maris and bringing shame on St Andrews University.
“Since Ms Maris’s statement, the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements violates international law and should end as soon as possible.
“The ICJ has further found a plausible case of genocide against Israel.
“The idea that some Jewish students might feel threatened by someone effectively saying ‘Never Again’ to genocide is implausible, especially as many young Jewish students are at the forefront of condemning this genocide.
“We are faced with the actual televised daily mass slaughter of women, children and babies for the past ten months. We have all seen the images. There is no excuse.
“The idea that Palestinian human rights and the war crimes of Israel in Gaza cannot be discussed in higher education is deeply concerning. The question is: which side of history does St Andrews University want to be on?
“Stella has repeatedly made clear that she accepts that she is bound by a Code of Conduct and the requirements placed on her as a charity trustee.
“She does not accept that these allow the university to interfere unilaterally and unduly in her right to express her views or manifest her protected anti-Zionist beliefs.
“For too long, advocates for peace and justice in a free Palestine have been left to stand alone while the rest of us remained silent. That time is over. All human rights converge on Palestine, and the world demands change.
“We therefore call on St Andrews University to reverse this decision and immediately reinstate Stella Maris to University Court. We further call on the trade unions and student body to unite and join the widespread calls for her reinstatement.”
In an exclusive interview with The National, Maris said her removal set a “dangerous precedent” for freedom of speech in higher education and that she felt “betrayed” by the institution.
The full list of signatories
Dr Robina Qureshi, Human Rights Advocate Aamer Anwar, Human Rights Lawyer (former rector of Glasgow University) Yanis Varoufakis, economist, politician, author and the former finance minister of Greece Professor David Miller (wrongfully dismissed for his anti-Zionist views by the University of Bristol as determined by an employment tribunal which established that anti-Zionist beliefs are protected under the Equality Act, 2010) Yonatan Shapira, Israeli Dissident, Refusenik, Activist & Musician Peter Mullan, filmmaker (Orphans, Magdalene Sisters) Paul Laverty (screenwriter of I Daniel Blake and The Wind that Shakes the Barley) Einat Weizman, Israeli Actor & Director Ronnie Barkan, Israeli Dissident Oliver Tickell, journalist/editor Dr Carlo Morelli, UCU Scotland Honorary Secretary Professor Henry Maitles (Emeritus Professor, Education, University of West of Scotland) Professor Phil Taylor (Emeritus Professor, University of Strathclyde) Professor Haim Bresheeth, SOAS, London Professor John Parrington, Treasurer, Oxford University UCU Professor Geoff Whittam, GCU Professor David Roediger, University of Kansas, US Dr. Marcus Free, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick Dr Piers Robinson, co-director of the Organisation for Propaganda Studies Dr Vladimir Unkovski-Korica, Branch Secretary, UCU Glasgow Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Media Officer for Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) Andrew Feinstein, Investigative Author, Broadcaster, Campaigner & Former ANC member of Parliament serving under Nelson Mandela Rebecca O’Brien, Film Producer Laura C Carreira, Film Director Mohammad Asif, Afghan Human Rights Foundation and human rights campaigner Maz Saleem, anti-racist human rights campaigner, education for peace and daughter of late haji Mohammed Saleem Natalie Strecker, Human Rights Activist & Campaigner, formerly served in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as a Human Rights Monitor Diana Beamish Sean Wallis, UCL UCU branch secretary, NEC member and HEC vice chair, University and Colleges Union Roddy Slorach, branch secretary Imperial College London UCU Cecily Blyther, Chair, Petroc, Devon UCU Donna Brown, Chair, Royal Holloway, University of London UCU NEC Dr Tim Anderson, Director of the Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies, Sydney, Australia Dr Bee Hughes, Branch Secretary, Liverpool John Moores University UCU Dr Mark Hayes, academic and activist Ross Gibson, Branch Secretary, Strathclyde UCU Francesca Paini, Alumna, Class of 2022 Grant Buttars, Vice President, UCU Scotland Najimee Parveen Dave Sherry, Author and Glasgow Area Committee, Unite the Union Christina Paine, activist and Chair of London Met UCU and NEC Jhangir Mahmood (Solicitor/ Director, Bishop Lloyd and JacksonSolicitors) Dr John Parrington, branch treasurer, Oxford University UCU Aisling O’Beirn, anti-casualisation officer, Ulster UCU, NEC member Linda Moore, branch president, Ulster UCU Saira Weiner, branch secretary, Liverpool John Moores University UCU, NEC member Nick Cimini, branch secretary of EIS-ULA at Edinburgh Napier University Peter Evans, Branch Secretary, West London College UCU Branch Glyn Secker, Secretary of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) Pete Bicknell, UCU branch chair, Lewisham College and London Region FE Secretary. Brian Kelly, Reader in History, Queen’s University Belfast; FOBZU Fellow, 2024-25 Jonathan Cook, journalist and author Latifa Abouchakra, Reporter, Teacher and Trade Unionist (NEU) Maria Chondrogianni, President-elect, UCU
