Fifteen human rights academics at University of Galway have urged management to end the institute’s complicity in genocide in Gaza by cutting ties with an Israeli college with military links.

The staff of Irish Centre for Human Rights in the School of Law based on the city campus urged University of Galway President, Professor David Burn, and his management team, to terminate the ASTERISK research grant collaboration with Technion University.

The academics reiterated their view that Technion works with the Israeli arms industry and “is complicit in serious breaches of international law”.

University of Galway has insisted in statements to media, and in emails to staff, that its legal advice was it cannot terminate the contract.

But in an open letter, signed by 15 academics in the Irish Centre for Human Rights, the university was urged to publish the legal advice “as continued collaboration with Technion is without any apparent legal justification and exposes the University of Galway to legal liability”.

They argued that the university’s prevailing legal obligations require it to cease collaborating with Technion “without qualification or reasonable dispute”.

“We urge you in your role as President of the University of Galway, to invoke the relevant provisions of the grant agreement relating to disputes arising, and to progress the process for removing a partner university from the research collaboration. The grounds for doing so are clear and exceptional.

“Failure to do so would render the university complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people and in continuing violations of international law by the State of Israel, which Technion has a direct involvement with militarily,” they said.

Among the international law and human rights experts who signed the letter are Professor Siobhán Mullally, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at University of Galway; Professor Shane Darcy, Deputy Director of the ICHR; lecturer and Irish human rights lawyer, Dr Maeve O’Rourke; and Professor of law and Islamic studies, Roja Fazaeli, who was deputy chair of the international human rights organisation Front Line Defenders.

“Failing to terminate the agreement with Technion University brings into question the efficacy of the university’s governance and management processes, and the credibility of its stated commitment to human rights and equality,” the letter said.

They cited legal analysis published in September by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, which concluded Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In its recommendation, the inquiry called on UN member states to “ensure individuals and corporations in their territories and within their jurisdiction are not involved in the commission of genocide, aiding and assisting the commission of genocide or incitement to commit genocide and investigate and prosecute those who may be implicated in these crimes under international law”.

The letter pointed out that the UN Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council have urged UN members to “cancel or suspend economic relationships, trade agreements and academic relations with Israel that may contribute to its unlawful presence and apartheid regime in the occupied Palestinian territory”.

They concluded the letter by calling on Professor Burn and the University of Galway, “to terminate the partnership with Technion University with immediate effect and to restore the university’s reputation and standing as a public university, committed to human rights and equality”.