Dive Brief:

• A partnership between Brandeis University and Palestine's Al-Quds University has been suspended due to the handling of a campus protest at Al-Quds featuring demonstrators performing a Nazi salute and honoring suicide bombers.
• After asking that Al-Quds officials condemn the incident, Brandeis President Frederick M. Lawrence received a copy of an open letter from Al-Quds President Sari Nusseibeh to students, which called for a respectful campus environment, but warned of "vilification campaigns by Jewish extremists" to exploit such events.
• Nusseibeh also wrote that "there would not have been the enduring Palestinian catastrophe" without the Holocaust. While Brandeis is understandably upset regarding the "unacceptable and inflammatory" letter, it might reevaluate the partnership "based on future events."

Dive Insight:

Brandeis isn't the only American school partnered with Al-Quds — Bard College also has close ties with the Palestinian school, but has not commented on the letter or incident. Al-Quds Executive Vice President Imad Abu Kishk told The Chronicle of Higher Education that he was surprised by Brandeis' decision, saying his university's message and values are "very clear" and that it doesn't accept events like what happened, suggesting also that the rally was the work of people from off-campus.