“Israeli universities are not independent of the Israeli security state but, rather, serve as an extension of its violence.” Describing a raid by Shin Bet on Birzeit University in April 2022, Maya Wind sets the scene for her book Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom (Verso Books, 2024). Prior to Israel’s establishment, Zionism had already foreseen the role universities would play in shaping and maintaining the forthcoming settler colonial entity in Palestine. Discussing the role of universities as strengthening settler outposts and later incorporating them into Israel’s state institutions, Wind describes early on how universities are not safe spaces for Palestinian students on several levels. From the courses offered, the approach towards military studies, the … Continue reading Towers of Ivory and Steel: How Israeli Universities Deny Palestinian Freedom