Distruction following Israeli airstrikes on November 9 in southern Beirut, Lebanon || Photo credit: Anadolu Agency
Israeli airstrikes on November 9 near the Lebanese University (LU) at Rafik Hariri University City in the Hadath area of Beirut’s southern suburb damaged windows and doors, adding to existing damage to buildings and laboratories within the complex. The Rafik Hariri University City is one of the largest complexes of the Lebanese University, housing many of its faculties.
Israeli raids, part of the military action targeting the Hezbollah group–the Iranian-backed paramilitary organization and political party in Lebanon–have resulted in the death and displacement of several students and staff across the country. As of November 13, 3,365 people in Lebanon have been killed and 14,344 injured in Israeli attacks, including several members of the university community, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Tel Aviv has said that its military action seeks to end Hezbollah’s rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israeli territory.
Since the start of Israel’s operation in Lebanon, universities in the country have been forced to move their classes online. This has resulted in a challenging situation due to weak internet connectivity, and the mass displacement of students, professors, and staff. As of October 6, roughly 80,000 university students (30,000 from Lebanese University and 50,000 from private universities) have been displaced due to Israeli airstrikes, according to the Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education.
Fadlo Khuri, president of the American University of Beirut (AUB), one of the country’s highest-ranked universities, said that almost half of AUB’s 9000 students are displaced, and about 700 are homeless. The university’s staff has also been affected. 12 percent of the university’s faculty–50 staff members have traveled abroad to flee the violence, with two resigning. Khuri, speaking to Times Higher Education, said that the escalating conflict between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah is turning into an existential crisis for universities in Lebanon. The only state-funded Lebanese University also announced that several students, professors, and staff have been killed or injured due to the Israeli strikes. Dr Aref Alsoufi, coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office in Lebanon, stated that while it was too early to estimate the damage the military conflict might inflict on the Lebanese university community, the impact would “definitely be very negative given the already ailing sector.”
For the past several years, before the recent escalation with the Israeli Defence Forces, higher education in Lebanon has been facing many challenges. The increased privatization of universities in the absence of good public alternatives, infrastructure woes, and issues of management have had an impact on the quality of education in Lebanon. While Freedom House has assigned Lebanon 3 out of 4 when it comes to academic freedom, various laws and customs such as the ones related to defamation, blasphemy, and work or opinions pertaining to Israel limit engagement with certain issues. Furthermore, religious and other non-state entities do seek to reinforce communal identities. In 2022, a US Department of State report found that activities on university campuses are reviewed by the Directorate for General Security (DGS) Censorship Bureau, often restricting Western media, films, and literature. The decision-making process is reportedly influenced by religious institutions and political groups. Intermittently, there have been instances of violent clashes on university campuses by students representing ruling political parties, including the Lebanese Forces and Hezbollah. In 2020, students were attacked at Saint Joseph University by students associated with the Lebanese Forces and Hezbollah political parties, in connection to a conflict arising from university student elections, where independent student representatives had won.
Endangered Scholars Worldwide (ESW) is concerned about the impact of the Israeli raids on the quality of education and academic freedom in Lebanon and the unwelcome limits on academic freedom that existed well before the attacks. ESW continues to monitor the developments in Lebanon with concern.
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