R.D.S.

🔻Statement regarding my appointment at the VUB: "On Sunday evening I had a meeting with the VUB to discuss my future at the University. Only minutes later, I was surprised to see a public statement announcing the end of my planned appointment, while I have still not received written confirmation of this from the university. Learning this through the media causes me considerable harm, and seems intended to cause reputational damage. On Friday last week, the VUB expressed support for me and told me, and Belgian newspaper de Morgen: "If statements conflict with Belgian law, it is up to the judiciary to take action, not us as a university. If this leads to a conviction, we will review the situation, but as far as we are concerned, what someone posts on X falls under the domain of private life and freedom of expression." In the last few days, I have not been convicted of any crime, nor been contacted by the police. I have never been convicted of a crime, in Belgium, the Netherlands, or elsewhere. This is because my statements against Zionism and in support of Palestinian resistance and Iran as they face Zionist aggression were and have always been within the boundaries of the law. The suggestion that my statements ‘cross legal boundaries’ is slanderous. Furthermore, contrary to public statements, I did not make any agreements with the VUB about my expressions on my private X account prior to my appointment. As I have done since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, I continued to use my platform to call for an end to the Zionist project, and support Palestinian resistance against it. The VUB had full knowledge of my online statements, and never brought any of these up with me during the hiring process, before or after signing the contract. My online activism has no impact on my job, which I love, and professional capacity to carry out my European Research Council grant. I fully intend to do this. What is clear is that this is yet another example of attempts by Zionist lobby groups to attack and shut down people who express support for Palestinians as they face genocidal erasure across the West. The double standards which are applied to people who express anti-Palestinian statements is proven time and time again. I will never stop speaking out against Zionism. We deserve institutions that actively stand up to Zionist pressure, preserve freedom of speech, and cut their ties completely with the Zionist project. As proven by other cases in Belgium and across the West, we clearly do not have them at present. In the meantime, I continue to pray for and express solidarity with the Lebanese, Iranian, and Palestinian people who are right now suffering and fighting against Zionist terror." Dr. Harry Pettit