Dear Rector Maris, 

We, as alumni, students, and friends of the University of St Andrews, are writing to express our deep concern about your recent letter to the University community.

Regardless of your disclaimer, by sending this letter from your official University email address and using the University’s platform to distribute your letter, your words and beliefs reflect on the institution that we all care about. This abuse of position is what has prompted us to write to you today. 

The University’s academic influence, in the UK and worldwide, means that your words have consequences that reach far beyond the confines of the “bubble.” Sadly, your words were not unifying, but divisive; not clarifying, but misleading; not hopeful, but damaging - and unfortunately will only bring division and hatred, whilst reinforcing a certain narrative that drives violent antisemitism across the world. 

St Andrews has proudly maintained an apolitical focus on the wellbeing of its students and quality of its research. These universal values enable students from 130 nations to move to Scotland and make this vibrant University community one of the finest in the world. Your comments erode this trust. You must act expediently to remedy this. 

We are concerned that your letter does not demonstrate equal care for Palestinian and Israeli lives. Calling for Israel to cease fighting without the precondition of the release of its civilians which are held by  Hamas - proscribed by the US, UK and European Union as a terrorist organisation and whose founding charter openly calls for genocide of Jews - is to say that Israel is not allowed to protect its civilians. This is an unacceptable standard to hold a state to, particularly given that your letter makes no mention of Hamas’ own wanton disregard for the lives of the Palestinian civilians it governs, by using civilian infrastructure for military purposes - otherwise known as “human shields”. 

We are concerned that your vision of a future for Gaza does not address Hamas’ central role in starting this war. Before Hamas massacred Israeli civilians on the 7th of October, Israel and Hamas were engaged in a ceasefire that was effective from the 13th of May of this year following Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s violation of a previous ceasefire on 2nd of May, which itself was put into effect after a prior violation. It is obvious that prolonging Hamas’ reign in Gaza, by halting the action designed to root them out, endangers the safety of everyone in Israel and Gaza. 

We are deeply shocked at the way in which you appear to justify the acts of terrorism witnessed on 7th October, where you have appealed to the student body to “appreciate the deep-seated grievances and frustrations” behind said actions. No grievance or frustration can ever justify the atrocities of that day, and any suggestion otherwise carries the implication that violence against Jews or Israelis is somehow acceptable. This has borne out in the form of a 10-fold increase in antisemitic hate crimes across the UK. 

Ultimately, the above points are critiques of your understanding of the conflict or your personal beliefs which is the purpose of spirited debate. 

What is truly unacceptable is that you do not care to mention, let alone demonstrate regard for, the two St Andrews students who were recently attacked because of their religion. Moreover, your letter does not show any appreciation for how your inflammatory and unfounded accusations of ‘genocide,’ ‘apartheid,’ and ‘occupation’ concerning the Jewish State will further embolden attacks and hatred against the Jewish students whom you were elected to care for. It is unacceptable for the Rector to be selective in their responsibility to represent all students. 

In the immediate term, we request that you put forward - at a minimum - a retraction and clarification of your remarks, as well as an unreserved apology for this abuse of your university position and accessible resources (of which you only recently were elected into). 

In the event that you choose to reject our request, we, the undersigned, reasonably have no other choice than to call for your immediate resignation.