The University of Edinburgh has recently been named by the United Nations as one of the UK’s “most financially entangled institutions” with the state of Israel. This revelation comes as part of a wider investigation led by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, whose detailed report sheds significant light on the extent of financial involvement. The report specifically highlights the fact that the university holds approximately £25.5m worth of shares in major technology companies such as Alphabet (the parent company of Google), Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM. To put this into perspective, this figure represents around 2.5 per cent of the university’s total endowment fund.
These multinational tech corporations are not just abstract investments—they are deeply implicated in the development and maintenance of Israel’s surveillance and military infrastructure. This infrastructure plays a pivotal role in the ongoing and widely condemned destruction of Gaza. As such, there is a growing concern, both among students and international observers, that this financial entanglement directly links the University of Edinburgh to the material support of what many—including the United Nations—have described as a genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people. The question this raises is not merely about money, but about moral responsibility, accountability, and the values the university claims to uphold.
Beyond just investments, the University of Edinburgh has also formed partnerships with several firms and institutions that have clear links to Israel’s military operations. For example, it is partnered with Leonardo S.p.A., a company with a history of arms manufacturing and military technology development. Additionally, the university collaborates with the AI and Data Science Lab at Ben Gurion University in Israel. Research from this lab has reportedly been linked to military strategies and technologies used in assaults on the Gaza Strip. This adds another layer to the university’s involvement, suggesting not only passive investment but also active academic and research collaboration with institutions tied to state violence.
Given these deep and multifaceted ties to a state that the United Nations has formally accused of committing genocide, the pressing question remains: will the University of Edinburgh divest? Will it take concrete, ethical action to withdraw its financial and institutional support?
It is important to note that the university is currently in the process of conducting a broader report into its historical links with colonialism and slavery. This report includes a section that evaluates whether or not the university should reconsider its adoption of an “internationally recognised definition of antisemitism.” Critics of this definition argue that it has been used in ways that can suppress legitimate political expression and academic critique regarding Israel’s actions in Palestine. The report further suggests that the university should consider divesting from companies that are allegedly complicit in attacks on civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. Additionally, it recommends the establishment of a Palestine Studies Centre, which would investigate the historical impact of British colonial policies such as the Balfour Declaration, and offer scholarships specifically for students of Palestinian origin.
However, reports, recommendations, and discussions—no matter how well-intentioned—are not substitutes for tangible action. In the context of war and mass suffering, it is action that ultimately matters. Right now, the university’s lack of decisive movement seems to place it at odds with both its student body and broader Scottish values.
During the summer graduation ceremonies, over 200 students across 24 different ceremonies staged protests and walkouts. Many took the brave step of publicly calling out the university’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Sir Peter Mathieson, for what they see as his complicity in the university’s support of genocide. Just last year, students occupied Old College—home to Mathieson’s office—in protest. The Edinburgh University Justice for Palestine Society has also remained active, staging demonstrations as recently as 7 October, explicitly demanding that the university disinvest from all companies complicit in the occupation and bombing of Palestine.
In stark contrast to the university’s hesitant stance, the Scottish Government formally recognised the State of Palestine on 3 September, 2025. In doing so, it made a public commitment to ensuring that defence products and technologies are not used in clear breaches of humanitarian law in Gaza. The government also called for a comprehensive package of boycotts, disinvestment, and sanctions (BDS) targeted at the Israeli state and companies complicit in its military operations and illegal occupation. In its own words, “Scotland has joined a movement to boycott Israel” and has pledged not to fund arms companies that profit from the ongoing atrocities.
So once again, we must ask: will the University of Edinburgh actually follow through with disinvestment? With the Scottish Government clearly taking a bold stance in support of Palestinian rights, and with student protest growing in both frequency and intensity, it seems increasingly untenable for the university to continue with the status quo. While full disinvestment may seem unlikely—particularly given the scale of the financial ties, which make up a substantial 2.5 per cent of the university’s endowment—some degree of disinvestment appears inevitable. Ultimately, it will come down to a choice: will the university prioritise its financial interests, or will it align itself with justice, its students, and the moral arc of history?
“Old College, University of Edinburgh” by Su Hongjia is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.