Joint Statement by Palestinian Medical Students’ Association – Nablus and Cologne Student Representatives, 09.07.2026
In light of the unprecedented destruction of educational institutions in numerous conflicts worldwide in recent years, particularly the systematic destruction of schools and universities in the Palestinian territories, we, as students from Palestine and Germany, as student council of medicine and languages and cultures of the Islamic world and as the student representative body of the University of Cologne and medical students’ representatives in An-Najah University declare: Attacks on schools and universities, on hospitals and any civilian institution can never be justified. Education and science are the foundation of a humane society; those who destroy educational institutions are attacking the very essence of what it means to be human: to learn and to develop as a person.
The destruction of higher education institutions in Palestine is directed against the enormous achievements that have been made possible under the most adverse conditions: until a few years ago, only 2.6 percent of the population in Palestine was illiterate, far less than the global average. Our living conditions differ enormously, but the rate of higher education qualifications in our countries is similar; in Gaza alone, until recently there were 17 higher education institutions with over 85,000 students out of a population of just over 2 million. If education holds such high value and paves the way for the future even under dystopian conditions, our solidarity is urgent.
Every checkpoint and every curfew, every destruction of a university, every act of intimidation against student representatives and academics, every restriction on the freedom to study and conduct research in the pursuit of human dignity and justice, every abduction of colleagues in the healthcare sector, every murder of a student or lecturer, a nurse or a doctor affects us all. For many Palestinian students, even reaching their universities requires passing through multiple military checkpoints, where journeys that would normally take 20 minutes can be prolonged into hours due to movement restrictions. These are attacks on the right to development enshrined by the United Nations, “by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.”
Every hospital that is destroyed not only leads to a direct deterioration in healthcare provision, but also hinders and prevents the local training of medical professionals, which harms everyone in the long term. For it is not just infrastructure that is being destroyed, but medical progress and, above all, the people who are prepared to dedicate their lives to providing medical care or advancing scientific knowledge. That is why it is essential to stand up for these people now and to support the preservation and expansion of their institutions, including at an international level.
Our universities in Cologne and Nablus are committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as promoting health, ensuring access to clean drinking water, and combating poverty and social inequality thereby working towards a sustainable and dignified coexistence. Global cooperation is indispensable for this; we need one another.
As students, we are committed to these goals; we will cooperate across all barriers and borders to achieve them, and do everything in our power to realise the right to education, personal fulfilment and development for all.
We call for the systematic establishment of scholarship programs for Palestinian students and academics at university level, as well as through research foundations and the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service).
We call for the release of our imprisoned Palestinian fellow students, academics and medical professionals, and for an end to persecution and violence.
We will do everything in our power to create the conditions necessary for a mutual student exchange program to the West Bank and Gaza to become possible in the near future.
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Sources on the destruction of educational facilities in Palestine and worldwide:
https://protectingeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/eua_2026_execsum.pdf
https://protectingeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/eua_2026_palestine.pdf
Initiators:
Palestinian Medical Students‘ Association Nablus, Palestine
Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss der Universität Köln (AStA) / General Student Committee of the University of Cologne, Germany
Fachschaft Medizin der Universität Köln / Student Council of medical students of the University of Cologne, Germany
Fachschaft Sprachen und Kulturen der islamisch geprägten Welt, Universität Köln / Student Council Languages and Cultures of the Islamic World, University of Cologne, Germany
Fachschaft China, Universität Köln / Student Council China, University of Cologne, Germany
Further Supporters:
Palestinian Medical Students‘ Association, Federal Association
Studierendenparlament der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
Signatures:
If you want to support the statement as a student or university group, write to: internationales@asta.uni-koeln.de