ACOM welcomes the recent ruling by Administrative Court No. 3 of Madrid, which upheld our appeal against the “UCM-Palestine Action Plan” proposed by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). The court’s decision confirms what we have argued from the beginning: the plan violates fundamental principles such as equality, non-discrimination on grounds of national origin and ideology, and political neutrality expected from public institutions.
The mentioned plan sought to review and suspend agreements with Israeli universities and institutions that, based on subjective and discriminatory criteria, did not demonstrate “a firm commitment to peace and international humanitarian law.” The judgment clearly states that this initiative not only involved serious procedural irregularities but also adopted a political and ideological stance inappropriate for an academic institution.
“The Action Plan […] represents a measure beyond the scope of the university, involves a highly polarized ideological stance, and discriminates based on nationality. There is also no objective basis to assign responsibility for a conflict within the operational scope of an academic institution. […] The contested agreement includes an action commitment that excludes Israeli universities entirely, with the suspension of collaboration agreements amounting to exclusion based on nationality or origin, demanding additional conduct not required from other entities of different origin.”
The judicial decision emphasizes that UCM lacks the authority to impose ideological or political criteria that openly discriminate based on nationality or belief. Additionally, it highlights the necessity to preserve academic autonomy and ideological freedom, protecting students, academics, and institutions from attempts of discrimination and exclusion driven by partisan political agendas.
ACOM will continue acting firmly against any discriminatory or ideologically biased attempt aimed at undermining the fundamental principles of the rule of law. We will keep working to ensure that Spanish public institutions are not manipulated by radical agendas.
This judicial victory reinforces our commitment to academic freedom, equality before the law, and our tireless fight against antisemitism and anti-Israel discrimination in all its forms.
We will never cease our fight against intolerance and antisemitism.
