A group of 298 human rights activists, scientists, academics, students and professors has demanded that the Indian Statistical Institute in Delhi and Shiv Nadar University withdraw their invitation to Zionist economist Robert Aumann.

The group, in letters sent on December 27, 2024, and January 4, 2025, expressed strong opposition to Aumann’s scheduled keynote address as part of a workshop hosted by the Indian Statistical Institute’s Delhi centre and Shiv Nadar University on January 13-14.

Aumann, who won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2005 for his work on game theory, has been accused of using his research to justify violations of Palestinian rights.

The petition, shared with the press on January 6, point out that Aumann has openly identified as a Zionist, supported the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and endorsed the expansion of Israel into neighbouring territories.

The signatories criticised the Indian Statistical Institute and Shiv Nadar University for inviting Aumann at a time when the International Court of Justice has found Israel liable for possible genocide and declared its occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful. The letters noted that the International Criminal Court has also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Signatories to the petition include peace activist Harsh Mander, economists Jean Dreze and Jayati Ghosh, scientist Gauhar Raza, economist and journalist C Rammanohar Reddy, author and academic Shamsul Islam, sociologist Nandini Sundar and linguist Ayesha Kidwai.

Allegations against Aumann

The letters highlight Aumann’s past statements and affiliations, accusing him of describing Israel’s disengagement from Gaza in 2005 as “ethnic cleansing” of Israelis. Aumann has also served as a scientific advisor to a political party advocating for a “Greater Israel,” encompassing parts of Egypt, Syria and Jordan, among other territories.

“Mr Robert Aumann is a member of the group ‘Professors for a Strong Israel’, a group of academics which has publicly and repeatedly called for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the interest of preserving the domination of Jewish Israeli society,” the group wrote. “While many argue that an individual may be separated from their political beliefs, Mr. Aumann has repeatedly used his research to justify Israel’s authoritarian regime…Even the Nobel Prize conferred to Mr. Aumann was vehemently opposed by hundreds of academics.”

The group argued that hosting Aumann would mock India’s historical stance of supporting Palestinian sovereignty and drewing parallels to India’s own anti-colonial struggle. They contended that the invitation undermined universal human rights principles and risked aligning Indian academia with oppressive policies.

Palestinian education

The group’s letters describe the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza as “scholasticide,” a term used to denote the systematic targeting of Palestinian academics and students since the Nakba of 1948.

“As of today, there is no university left standing in Gaza,” the letters state, claiming that 80% of Gaza’s schools have been destroyed. They also said that Palestinian intellectuals have been deliberately targeted as part of Israel’s broader campaign.

The activists also pointed to the role of Israeli universities in supporting military strategies and developing defence technology, accusing them of complicity in attacks on Gaza. They claimed that ties with Israeli academic institutions could pull Indian universities into a similar “military-industrial complex”.

Broader concerns

The signatories emphasised that academic collaborations with Israeli institutions could lead to the entrenchment of policies resembling those directed against Palestinians in India. “India is already imitating inhuman and undemocratic Israeli policies directed towards Palestinians: oppression of minorities, forced evictions and demolitions, curbing of dissent, among others,” the letter said.

The activists also called on the Indian Statistical Institute and Shiv Nadar University to terminate existing collaborations with Israeli institutions and join the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. They compared such actions to the global boycott of South African institutions during apartheid, which played a significant role in ending the regime.

Call for action

The letters urged both institutes to publicly announce the withdrawal of Aumann’s invitation, stating that continued engagement with individuals like him legitimises regimes built on ethnic cleansing and genocide. “Your institutions would be hollowed of humanity and any honourable pursuit of education by providing a platform to those who justify genocide,” the group stated.

Neither institution has responded publicly to the letters.