Ghassan Abu Sittah elected as University of Glasgow rector with Gaza manifesto

British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sittah has been elected as rector of the University of Glasgow in the UK.

Abu Sittah secured 4,172 – or some 80 percent – of first-preference votes, leaving his competition in the dust. His nearest rival, Paul Sweeney, a Labour Party member of the Scottish parliament, won just 430 first-choice ballots, while current rector Rita Rae came in fourth and final place with 234.

Abu Sittah, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, will serve for three years starting next Monday and will be tasked with representing the University of Glasgow's students.

"In standing for rector, I aim to give Glasgow University students the opportunity to declare their opposition to Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, to stand against the complicity of our government in solidarity with Palestine," Abu Sitta said in his election manifesto.

"As a Glasgow alumnus, I know how passionate this university's students are about standing against injustice.

"I also know – having worked as a war surgeon during 4 wars in the Gaza strip, including for 43 days since October 2023 – the severity of the humanitarian crisis facing the people of Gaza."

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, an associate editor at New Lines magazine, praised Abu Sittah's election.

"Well done, Glasgow!" he said on X, formerly Twitter. "You always make us proud."

Abu Sittah made four pledges in his manifesto, promising to pressure the university to condemn Israel's genocide in Gaza.

The International Court of Justice in January found that Israel was plausibly breaching the Genocide Convention in the Palestinian enclave, where its military campaign has so far killed over 32,400 people.

Abu Sittah, whose work in conflict zones extends beyond Gaza to countries such as Syria and Yemen, also called in his manifesto for the University of Glasgow to divest from the arms trade.

He added that he was dedicated to building new ties and reinforcing existing partnerships with leading Palestinian universities.

The renowned surgeon called for the replacement of the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which has been adopted by the University of Glasgow.

"While I am absolutely committed to tackling all forms of antisemitism, it is my belief that, by linking criticism of Israel to antisemitism, this definition threatens academic criticism of Israel and Palestinian solidarity events," Abu Sittah said.

He added that he would call for the IHRA definition to be replaced with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.

"A vote for me is a vote of solidarity with the Palestinian people," Abu Sittah's manifesto said.

Voting ran from 9am local time on Monday until 4pm on Tuesday.

All registered University of Glasgow students were eligible to cast ballots in the election.