Scottish University removes Rector for condemning Israel's ‘genocidal attacks’ in Gaza

The University of St Andrews has removed its Rector from its governing body following her statement condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal attacks”.

The Scottish University announced yesterday that Stella Maris had been removed from the University court after an investigation determined she had “breached her responsibilities” by sending an email to all students last November calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.

However, Maris argued this set a “dangerous precedent for freedom of speech”. While she will no longer serve as president of the University court, she will remain as Rector, a student-elected position, until her term ends in October 2026.

The University’s decision followed her repeated refusal to accept the findings of an independent investigation into her comments. The investigation found her remarks made some students “fear for their safety” and determined she failed in her responsibilities and legal obligations as a court member.

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“The decision to discharge Ms Maris is the conclusion of a lengthy process which began in November 2023 when Ms Maris, as Rector, issued a message to all 10,000 St Andrews students offering her personal opinions on the conflict in Gaza and Israel,” said St Andrews.

In her email, Maris, an alumna of the University, accused Israel of practising “apartheid, siege and illegal occupation” in Palestinian Territories.

Following her statement, the University launched an independent investigation led by Morag Ross, KC, who presented her findings to the University court in April, noting that Maris’s email had caused “anxiety and fear” among Jewish students. Although Ross concluded that firing Maris would be “disproportionate”, the University court decided to remove her from her position.

Maris expressed her disappointment, stating that the decision showed a “lack of respect for the role of the Rector in speaking independently for students as their elected representative.”

She added, “It is clear that I have been removed from University court because I called for an end to Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, and I will not apologise for doing so.

“As a young, neuro-diverse Black woman with limited financial resources, I have faced the full force of the University, including a KC investigation, all because I made a statement supported by the overwhelming majority of students, calling for an end to a genocide.”

Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah, world renowned British-Palestinian surgeon, who has provided aid in Gaza and serves as Rector at the University of Glasgow, criticised St Andrews for removing Maris, stating that this decision would further embolden Israel.

He said, “The silencing of pro-Palestinian or anti-genocide voices is the reason why this genocide is still going on after 10 months. These institutions have been part of a system of genocide enablement that has emboldened the Israeli government in its attempts to erase the Palestinian people.”

Chair of the University court, Ray Perman, said, “We recognise that parts of the Rector’s statement were an important source of comfort to students affected by the conflict in Gaza”.

“We also wish to stress most explicitly that the Rector has never been asked to diminish or change her support of the Palestinian cause, only to acknowledge that, in her handling of this matter, she caused distress and fear to some students, whom it was her duty to support and represent.”

In response, Maris announced she will appeal the decision with support from the European Legal Support Centre, stating that the “idea that Palestinian human rights and the war crimes of Israel in Gaza cannot be discussed in higher education is deeply concerning.”

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