Senegalese students force Israeli envoy to flee Dakar university
Protests at UCAD reflect Senegal’s outrage over Gaza violence and solidarity with Palestine.
DAKAR, Senegal (MNTV) – Students at Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) compelled Israeli Ambassador Yuval Waks to leave campus on Tuesday, intensifying Senegal’s condemnation of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Waks, who also serves as Israel’s envoy to multiple West African nations, was invited to speak on international relations at Senegal’s premier university.
However, his presence triggered protests, with students waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans like “Free Palestine” and “Israel is a war criminal.”
Videos shared online captured the ambassador being booed and prevented from speaking.
Senegal, a predominantly Muslim nation, has long supported Palestinian rights.
The country has chaired the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for decades and maintains a pro-Palestinian stance despite restoring ties with Israel in the 1990s.
The protests at UCAD follow a surge in nationwide demonstrations, with citizens demanding that Senegal sever diplomatic relations with Israel. Similar protests have occurred in Dakar, Thiès, and Saint-Louis.
The UCAD incident aligns with a broader wave of global student-led activism calling for institutional accountability regarding Gaza.
From New York to African universities, student protests have spotlighted Palestine’s plight.
For Israel, the disruption underscores its diplomatic challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, a region where public opinion often sympathizes with Palestinians.
Neither the Israeli Embassy in Dakar nor Senegal’s Foreign Ministry has commented on the protests.
The message from UCAD students, however, was unambiguous: “There is no place for the representatives of genocide on our campus.”
The demonstration mirrors mounting international anger over Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which has claimed over 54,000 lives, according to international organizations.
Women and children comprise a significant number of the casualties.
Since March 2024, Israel’s blockade has entirely halted humanitarian aid, exacerbating Gaza’s dire conditions. Global agencies describe the situation as catastrophic, with hospitals overwhelmed, widespread famine, and neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes charges.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is also examining a genocide case against Israel for alleged civilian targeting in Gaza.
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