In a landmark decision, the Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Human Sciences at the University of São Paulo (FFLCH-USP), one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Latin America, has voted to end its cooperation agreement with Haifa University, in Israel.
The vote, held on Thursday ( 23), passed with an overwhelming majority: 46 votes in favor, four against, and four abstentions. The resolution came in response to reports of severe human rights violations committed by the State of Israel against the Palestinian population. The document supporting the decision cited Haifa University’s participation in Israeli military and security programs.
The report also condemned the systematic destruction of Palestinian universities and schools in Gaza. In June 2025, the United Nations published a report stating that Israeli forces had damaged or destroyed over 90% of schools and university buildings in Gaza through airstrikes, bombings, fires, and controlled demolitions. The international commission classified these acts as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“This was a victory of ethics over omission,” said João Conceição, student representative on FFLCH’s International Cooperation Committee. “A Brazilian public university cannot be complicit with those who turn knowledge into a weapon of war. FFLCH has taken a historic step, and the entire USP should follow,” he added.
With the decision, FFLCH becomes the first USP unit to officially terminate an agreement with an Israeli institution. The recommendation will now move to USP’s University Council, which may consider extending the suspension to all agreements involving Israeli universities linked to apartheid and occupation policies.
The move follows similar actions by other major Brazilian universities. In September this year, the University of Campinas (Unicamp) ended its cooperation agreement with Israel’s Technion Institute of Technology as a protest against the genocide in Gaza. The following month, the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) also voted to end its exchange program with Ben-Gurion University, citing “the grave humanitarian crisis and the genocide carried out by the Israeli state against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.”
