Olwen Fouéré withdraws acceptance of honorary doctorate from University of Galway over Israel ties

Actress Olwen Fouéré has refused an honorary doctorate from the University of Galway over its "extremely problematic" partnership with the Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology.

In September, University of Galway interim president Peter McHugh announced the University would immediately cease "any new institutional research agreements involving direct Israeli partners."

However, McHugh said the University was contractually bound to continue a partnership with Technion, as they are co-coordinating partners involved in an existing €3.9 million research project.

In a statement issued today, Fouéré said she initially intended to accept the honorary degree at a ceremony tomorrow, November 27, during which she would "make a statement of intent to challenge NUIG's delay in terminating the Technion contract."

"I believed that I could take on this challenge more effectively from within, as a newly conferred honorary alumni," Fouéré said.

"After a great deal of thought, I have regrettably come to believe that the stronger, and perhaps more visible, action is in refusing to accept an honorary degree at this moment in the University's history."

Fouéré added she would "be more than happy to accept" on the condition all ties with Technion are cut.

Fouéré concluded by calling on the University of Galway leadership to "fulfil the University's promise of divestment" and to cease all partnerships with Technion and Israel "in compliance with the University of Galway's obligations under Irish and international law."

Technion describes a "successful and close cooperation between the Technion and...Israeli defense industries" according to its website. The institute offers credits to students for serving in the Israeli military and some departments hold competitions for students to develop defense systems and technologies.

Specialists at Technion developed the Caterpillar D-9 tractor, an armoured bulldozer known for its use in demolishing Palestinian civilian homes and farms. The institute also hosts programs for the development of combat drone technologies.

Technion was also the home of The Scream, a sound cannon system which blasts repeated pulses of audio which can cause severe dizziness, nausea and even hearing damage to anyone within 100 metres.

When it was first launched in the late 2000s, The Scream was used to deter unarmed pro-Palestine protestors. In the past three years, reports have arisen of The Scream being used to lure out and target displaced Palestinian civilians in Gaza refugee camps.

The University of Galway Students Union, Galway Alumni for Palestine, Academics For Palestine and more have issued statements and held protests demanding University of Galway end its relationship with Technion, so far to no avail.

Derry-born filmmaker Margo Harkin also reportedly refused to accept an honorary doctorate from the University of Galway for the same reason.

Activist and artist Margaretta D'Arcy also handed in her honorary doctorate, conferred back in 2022, to University of Galway President David J. Burn last month — only a few weeks before her death.

Fouéré is an accomplished actress and writer in theatre, film and visual arts. Her screen credits include roles in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Survivalist, The Watchers and more.

In 2020, she was listed at number 22 on The Irish Times' list of greatest Irish film actors. She spoke to Hot Press about her over five-decade-long career in 2022.