Harvard agrees to discuss divestment from ‘Israel’ following protests

May 15, 2024

Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen English

Students near the remnants of an encampment of tents in Harvard Yard, on the campus of Harvard University, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AP)

By Al Mayadeen English

The student protest group Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine says that a pre-condition of the decamping is that the administration will take back suspensions.

After Harvard agreed to discuss student concerns on the university’s endowment concerning “Israel”, protesters against the Israeli war on Gaza took down their tents in the university yard on May 14.

Harvard oversees the biggest academic endowment in the world, amounting to around $50 billion, and invests part of it in funds and companies, some of which are linked to “Israel”. 

In a statement on Instagram, the student protest group Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine (HOOP coalition) said that after surviving beyond the student move-out, the encampment has come to an end, however, “the struggle for Palestinian liberation goes on.” 

They added that they built the “Liberated Zone in Harvard Yard as a model of the world we want to see: one that proudly affirms Palestinian liberation rather than elimination.” 

The students highlighted how every day they sustained their encampment, their organizing capacity was strengthened, adding that they forced the “question of Palestine on an institution that has historically refused it.” 

HOOP: Harvard turned Yard into ‘surveillance state’

HOOP went on to describe how Harvard attempted to quietly “choke” them out from closing its gates to the public, to even turning Harvard Yard into a “surveillance state.” 

According to the students, a pre-condition of the decamping is that the administration would take back student suspensions, adding that it has also offered them meetings regarding disclosure and divestment with members of the Harvard Management Company, alongside talks about the launch of a Center for Palestine Studies at Harvard. 

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HOOP emphasized that they are “under no illusions,” as they know that these meetings are not divestment wins but are rather attempts to “pacify” them from full disclosure and divestment, however, that will not work. 

They ended their statement by saying “Harvard beware: the Liberated Zone is everywhere.” 

Harvard University Interim President Alan Garber agreed to meet with the students and answer their questions. 

Protests in support of Gaza are ongoing 

The director of Al Mayadeen‘s office in Geneva reported that student protests at Swiss universities are still taking place in support of Gaza and condemnation of Israeli crimes. 

In addition, Herald Square in New York City has witnessed a massive demonstration in support of Palestine.

Harvard Law student gov. urged university to divest from ‘Israel’

The Harvard Law School (HLS) Student Government passed a resolution on March 29 urging the university to completely divest from any organization that supports the Israeli war on Gaza.

The measure urged the Harvard Management Company (HMC), which manages the school’s $50 billion endowment, “to divest completely from weapons manufacturers, firms, academic programs, corporations, and all other institutions that aid the ongoing occupation of Palestine and the genocide of Palestinians.”

The HLS Student Government alludes to Harvard’s commitment of nearly $200 million in businesses linked to the Israeli occupation military and illegal settlements in Palestine, similar to HMC’s prior divestment from South African apartheid and the tobacco industry in 1990.

The resolution’s author, Swap Agrawal, expressed that some Palestinian students at the school have “lost dozens of family members in the ongoing genocide,” noting that students reported feeling strongly that it was “necessary to put pressure on things to change.”

He added that students are deeply concerned that money held in trust may be funding this genocide, emphasizing that the resolution was affected by the International Court of Justice’s statement in January, which found it “plausible” that “Israel” had violated the Genocide Convention.

After the resolution vote, which had 12 supporters, four opponents, and three abstentions, two board members resigned, stating that they did so because they “strongly disagree” with it.

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Intellectual Uprising: Pro-Palestine students protests

List of US colleges advocating for divestment from ‘Israel’: Newsweek

27 Apr 2024

Source: News websites

As student movements keep gaining momentum, Newsweek has published a list of all universities that have advocated for the severing of ties with “Israel”.

New York University students and pro-Palestinian supporters rally outside the NYU Stern School of Business building, Monday, April 22, 2024, in New York. (AP)

By Al Mayadeen English

Pro-Palestine protests have swept university campuses across the United States, with calls for the alienation from “Israel” or Israeli-affiliated institutions.

As student protests and movements increasingly gained momentum, hundreds of arrests were made as police tried to thwart their efforts, and the government mobilized to introduce legislations that would ultimately punish those participating. 

Israeli lobbyists and the Israeli government are relentlessly pressuring US government officials to take more action against such movements in an effort to silence the criticism targeted toward “Israel” and demands to divest from the occupation.

Democratic US Congressman Ritchie Torres announced on Friday that he will introduce legislation to establish so-called anti-Semitism monitors for federally financed institutions in the United States, amid growing pro-Palestine demonstrations on campuses around the country.

However, pro-Palestinian voices have not been silenced despite all attempts to muffle their calls. In this context, it is worth mentioning the significant and prominent steps some student movements and university organizations have recently taken to divert from “Israel” and its web of affiliations.

City University of New York CUNY

In 2021, CUNY’s Law School’s student council voted for instating a resolution supporting the BDS movement and urged the university to divert from its inks with “Israel”.

Its efforts were clearly dismissed when the college’s chancellor issued a statement saying the student council’s action represents their personal belief, and does not represent the university itself.

“CUNY does not support and to be clear cannot participate in BDS activities, and is required to divest public funds from any companies that do,” he added.

Binghamton

A similar resolution was voted for in Binghamton University, with its Student Association (SA) Congress voting in favor of the BDS in April 2024.

The SA issued a statement declaring opposition to institutions that fund or arm “Israel”, such as BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, saying they refused to indirectly fund “an industry that manufactures weapons of war and mass destruction” through allocated portions of their tuition. 

In response, a university spokesperson said the student body speaks for itself, not the university administration, and condemned any resolution in support of BDS. 

“During this time, maintaining a safe and secure environment for everyone on campus remains the University’s top priority. A dedication to safety will remain unwavering as it strives to uphold the freedom for students and faculty to pursue their educational and professional endeavors without fear or obstacles.”

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New York University Department of Social and Cultural Analysis

In 2021, the department of Social and Cultural Analysis at NYU voted in favor of severing ties with the university’s Tel Aviv campus through a resolution for non-cooperation. 

The resolution passed, de-sponsoring Tel Aviv’s faculty and cutting inter-campus faculty exchanges.

“With respect to this departmental vote: it’s a little puzzling as to what form it would take, as our Tel Aviv campus does not draw on the department of social and cultural analysis for its academic program,” NYU spokesperson John Beckman said on the resolution.

Case Western Reserve University

In 2022, the Undergraduate Student Government at Case Western Reserve University passed a resolution urging the university to examine its investments in Israeli companies.

According to the Case Western Reserve Observer, the resolution advocated for divestment from companies involved in “the construction, upkeep, or economic advancement of illegal Israeli settlements, outposts, and roads and transportation systems exclusively for settlers in occupied Palestinian territories.”

Nevertheless, University President Eric W. Kaler expressed disappointment with the resolution shortly after its passage, as per his statement.

“I pledge that Case Western Reserve will continue to be a place welcoming to all. Vigorous political debate is welcome and encouraged, but hate towards any group will be opposed at every step, including categorically rejecting the calls to action outlined in this resolution,” Kaler said. 

University of California, Davis

In February 2024, the UC Davis student government (ASUCD) endorsed a BDS resolution, which restricts the allocation of the group’s budget to companies that endorse “Israel”.

As stated in an Instagram post by the group, “The bill passed prohibits the expenditure of any portion of the $20 million ASUCD budget on companies implicated in the occupation and genocide of Palestinians, as outlined by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. This means that none of the student fees funding ASUCD operations will go towards financially supporting over 30 companies complicit in Zionist violence, including McDonald’s, Sabra, and Chevron.”

A university spokesperson said the student body operates independently from the administration. 

UCLA

In February 2024, the UCLA Undergraduate Students Association Council and Graduate Student Association both endorsed a BDS resolution, citing “Israel’s” involvement in “apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide” against Palestinians, as per UCLA’s Daily Bruin.

Nonetheless, UCLA released a statement denouncing the resolutions, stating that they “conflict with the stance of the University of California and UCLA, which, along with all other UC campuses, have consistently rejected appeals for boycotting and divesting from Israel.”

Harvard 

The Harvard Law School (HLS) Student Government has passed a resolution urging the university to completely divest from any organization that supports the Israeli war on Gaza.

The measure urges the Harvard Management Company (HMC), which manages the school’s $50 billion endowment, “to divest completely from weapons manufacturers, firms, academic programs, corporations, and all other institutions that aid the ongoing occupation of Palestine and the genocide of Palestinians.”

The HLS Student Government alludes to Harvard’s commitment of nearly $200 million in businesses linked to the Israeli occupation military and illegal settlements in Palestine, as well as HMC’s prior divestment from South African apartheid and the tobacco industry in 1990.

The resolution’s author, Swap Agrawal, expressed that some Palestinian students at the school have “lost dozens of family members in the ongoing genocide,” noting that students reported feeling strongly that it was “necessary to put pressure on things to change.”

Previously, Harvard Law declared “Israel” an “Apartheid State”

Read more: In 6 months, more US college students blame ‘Israel’ for Oct. 7: Poll

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Columbia Uni. withdraws deadline for dispersing pro-Palestine protests

April 26, 2024

Source: Agencie

By Al Mayadeen English

US police have been making large-scale arrests in universities all over the country, even using chemical irritants and tasers to stop the protestors who are expressing solidarity for Palestine. 

Late on April 25, Columbia University went back on an overnight deadline set for pro-Palestine protesters to leave their encampment, amid more college campuses in the United States attempting to stop such protests from taking place. 

US police made large-scale arrests in universities all over the country, and even used chemical irritants and tasers to stop the protesters who are expressing solidarity for Palestine. 

Columbia University is still the center of the student protest movement as it is where these protests began. 

In a statement released at 11:07 pm (0307 GMT today), the office of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik went back on the midnight deadline to disperse a large tent camp with around 200 students. 

The statement said, “The talks have shown progress and are continuing as planned,” adding, “We have our demands; they have theirs.” 

“This rumor is false,” it said in an attempt to deny that New York City police were called to the campus. 

Speaking with AFP, one of the students, identifying as Mimi, said that she had been at the camp for seven days, emphasizing, “They call us terrorists, they call us violent. But… they’re the ones that called in the police when students were sitting in a circle.”

“The police are the ones with guns, the police are the ones with tasers, we only have our voices,” she stressed. 

Police state? 

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On April 24 and early 25, the police arrested more than 200 protesters at universities in Los Angeles, Boston, and Austin, Texas. 

However, around 2,000 protesters gathered again on April 25. 

At Emory University in Atlanta, in the southern state of Georgia, chemical irritants and tasers were used by riot officers to dismantle the protesters. Police were seen in photographs wielding tasers. 

The Atlanta Police Department claimed that officers, called in by the school, were “met with violence” and used “chemical irritants” in their response. 

Police arrested 93 protesters, which authorities claimed were trespassing on April 24 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The university also canceled events at its graduation ceremony on May 10. 

As reported by local media, police also arrested 108 protesters as they dismantled an encampment at Emerson College in Boston on April 25. 

Anti-semitic claims debunked by Jewish protestors

Even though many people attempted to label these protests as anti-semitic, many Jewish people among the protesters refuted these claims and criticized officials who are conflating it with being against Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Speaking with AFP, a Jewish 33-year-old graduate student at the University of Texas in Austin said,  “People are here in support of Palestinian people from all different backgrounds… (compelled by) their general sense of justice.”

Determination and persistence 

Students from Georgetown University and George Washington University (GW) in Washington launched a solidarity encampment on the GW campus on April 25. 

New York University and Yale, whose protestors were also arrested earlier this wake, witnessed protests and encampments alongside Harvard, Brown University, MIT, the University of Michigan, and elsewhere. 

As protestors have flooded the buildings of California State Polytechnic University Humboldt, it said that its campus will possibly stay closed until next week.


War on Gaza

How Columbia University is the new face of the Intellectual Intifada

April 25, 2024

Source: Al Mayadeen English

How Columbia University is the new face of the Intellectual Intifada (Illustrated by: Hady Dbouq; Al Mayadeen English)

By Rachel Hamdoun

Students of the United States, of all ethnicities and backgrounds, are bringing back the anti-war movement that was ignited during the American war on Vietnam in the 1960s. 

Universities across the United States have been witnessing an expanding movement on campuses by students protesting for Palestine against the war waged by “Israel” and supported by the US. This movement is not new – this movement is reborn with a cause brushed under the history books only to be unearthed by those living it.

Students have forever been the face of the young revolution, only now being louder, fearless, and more audacious 

Students of the United States, of all ethnicities and backgrounds, are bringing back human rights activism, which dates back to the civil rights movement in the 1960s, which influenced the anti-war movement that was ignited during the American War on Vietnam.

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University, which instigated the domino effect of pro-Palestine protests in universities across America, is more than just a wave of uproar against the US government’s military and financial support for “Israel’s” genocide in Gaza. It represents the call to action, mirroring the voice of power, which, in turn, gives voice to resistance against injustice.

However, the domino effect is sending the US government into a spiral of panic. Why?

Complex yet simply put, student activism is making a comeback, through civil disobedience and peaceful protests, to challenge the imperialist system that uses the academic institution as a tool of social control to enforce its ideologies and conceal the failures of its own history and present. 

And being “woke” is sort of the boogeyman of the government, because the term itself challenges the government and looks it dead in the eye.

‘By all means necessary’ and peacefully

Student demonstrations, regardless of how peaceful they are, have always been a bone for the government to pick with ever since the 1968 protests at Columbia against the war in Vietnam. Other universities like the University of Michigan and NYU followed suit, and thus the anti-war movement gained traction and the attention of the American youth. 

As of last week, the Morningside campus of Columbia has been the stage of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment where tents have been set up by students, housing posters calling for the end of the siege and genocide in Gaza encouraged by Western allies. The on-site encampment was the venue of multiple forms of protests such as teach-ins (which began in the 1960s Vietnam protests), dances, and poetry readings, while other students were seen completing assignments and painting. 

Then comes the crackdown at the hands of New York’s finest, the NYPD. Picture this: America has a problem, instead of resorting to ways to solve the problem, who are they going to call? The police.

Columbia students, during their peaceful protests, have been calling for the complete divestment of the university from ties with “Israel” and the occupation’s business entities. 

However, in a shocking turn of events, NYPD Chief John Chell revealed that it was the University’s President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik (of Egyptian descent, by the way) who called the police after calling the demonstration a “clear and present danger.”

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“To put this in perspective, the students that were arrested were peaceful, offered no resistance whatsoever, and were saying what they wanted to say in a peaceful manner,” he said.

Let’s go back 235 years, to the formation of the US Constitution, specifically the First Amendment, which states that “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

So, rather than meeting the demands of their students, university administrations have been obeying the demands of their donors and political affiliates. To get down to the law side of things, universities could be sued for violating the First Amendment, which gives the students the natural right to express and advocate against policies by the US government freely. 

Shafik, Columbia University’s President, is facing calls by students, faculty members, and even lawmakers to resign or face censure over her decision to call NYPD and arrest over 150 students for exercising their right to free speech. 

Here’s the funny part of this whole shebang: The authorities, be they police or academics, have been weaponizing anti-semitism, claiming “intimidating” behavior from the students. After all, waving the anti-semitism card is a game the US is a professional at playing. 

Do you want to speak up against the rape of women in Gaza by Israeli forces? You’re anti-semitic. What, you’re against the blocking of aid by “Israel” into Gaza? You’re anti-semitic. Did you say you’re an anti-Zionist human rights advocate? I guess this also makes you anti-semitic, by US standards that is… 

Capitalist combat

In an interview for Al Mayadeen English, Maryam Iqbal, a student at Columbia’s Barnard College and an organizer of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group, stated, “I believe that as students at an American institution, we have an inherent complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people because our tuition and tax dollars are paying for it. And we have to fight with everything in us against our complicity. “

She reveals that not only was she arrested, but she was “suspended and evicted” from her housing by Columbia University.

She tells other students, “We want you to learn from our tactics and occupy buildings, occupy spaces and say I’m all eyes on that right now. I don’t want people to center on Columbia because this should not only be about Columbia. It’s not about us. It’s about Palestine.”

In the latest news, just today, Shafik imposed an ultimatum on students peacefully protesting against the Israeli genocide in Gaza: either reach an agreement with the administration to end the encampment or the school would resort to a different approach to dismantle it – by Monday midnight. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan recently announced, in light of the events, that it would permit free expression and peaceful protest during graduation in May but would stop “substantial disruption”.

Basically, it’s kind of set like this: you can speak on our own terms, and the “disruption” stops when we say so. 

When has intimidation and threat ever instilled fear into the minds of those who fear neither the book nor its author, neither the pen nor its holder, and neither the weapon nor its maker?

The privilege of being a student is having a voice and being the voice of those who are silenced by political agendas for cash and clout. The privilege of being a student is holding the pen as a weapon of resistance against imperialist ideologies and systemic injustice. 

The university or college campus represents the space for learning freedom, advocating for it, and therefore, using that space to educate society on it.  

Students across the US are rewriting history, just like those before them decades ago. These students are rewriting history to break free of colonial rhetoric and fight the war on Gaza through their pens and their voices. Instead of battlegrounds, they’re fighting for the liberation of Gaza on their campuses. 

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War on Gaza

Al Mayadeen: Roth reveals the role of ‘Israel’ in Harvard decision

8 Jan 2023

Source: Al Mayadeen Net

By Al Mayadeen English 

The former director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, speaks to Al Mayadeen about how he was declined a Harvard University position because of his criticism of “Israel,” and the pressures exerted on him to dissuade him from his positions.

Former HRW director Kenneth Roth at Al Mayadeen

The former director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Kenneth Roth, revealed in an interview with Al Mayadeen how he was refused a fellowship in human rights at Harvard University because of his criticism of “Israel.”

Roth stated that the veto on him either came from one of the donors or from the dean of the university, who was afraid that someone would object to Roth’s positions on “Israel.”

He added that when Harvard University called him, they claimed that the position was granted to another person despite the fact that initially, he had been offered the position by the university.

The former HRW director also pointed out that when one of his colleagues inquired about the reasons behind his sidelining, the dean of the university told argued that he is an “observer,” but added that HRW is biased against “Israel,” and that the refusal also came as a result of Tweets in which Roth criticized “Israel.”

Roth stressed that what happened constituted a great shock, as this has never happened in the history of Harvard.

Punishing academics for criticizing ‘Israel’ is not new

Roth further revealed to Al Mayadeen that what happened to him was not a first, as there had been several instances where an academic who criticized “Israel” was punished. Roth warned that the danger lies in the fact that new academics may see what transpired and may become afraid of directing any criticism towards “Israel” for fear of punishment.

He added that what happened to him at Harvard University is not unique, as it had happened in other universities before. For example, Roth explained that a similar situation had taken place “at the University of Toronto, two years ago, where a person was hired to head a human rights center, then a tentative offer has been made, and then suddenly it was withdrawn due to her criticism of ‘Israel’.” 

In this case, Roth was referencing Dr. Valentina Azarova, an international law practitioner, and researcher. Azarova has described herself as an anti-oppression educator and had written several research pieces regarding Israeli practices in occupied Palestine, such as “The Pathology of a Legal System: Israel’s Military Justice System and International Law.” 

The former HRW director continued that the disappointing thing about what happened with him is that “if any institution can resist donor pressure, it is Harvard, as it is the richest university in the world,” adding that Harvard must have maintained that “we do not accept pressure from donors that tries to censor our scholars, that try to undermine academic freedom.”

He stressed that what happened pointed to a serious matter regarding new academics. Roth argued that these new academics will refrain from criticizing “Israel” out of fear of losing their career or getting canceled following what happened to him and how it affected his career.

Roth stated he is not worried about his career given that he had plenty of other options, however, he said “I fear about a young academic who sees what just happened to me and says: uh oh! I can’t touch ‘Israel’, if I criticize ‘Israel’ that’s going to end my career; I’m going to get canceled.”

Pressure exerted on Roth to refrain from ‘Israel’ criticism

Roth revealed to Al Mayadeen that donors and other parties pressured him during his time as HRW director and urged him not to criticize “Israel.” Roth stressed his resistance to all pressures and argued that Harvard’s decision to fold under donor pressure and cancel his fellowship did not change his position or perspective on how Human Rights must be applied across the world.

He said, “Harvard should not impose bans on its scholars. It should be upholding academic freedom.”

The academic further stressed that he has not changed his perspective on the fact that “human rights standards must be applied even-handedly” and expressed his hope that Harvard would change the way it treats this kind of pressure because the university should not censor its scholars. Moreover, Roth insisted, “I am not going to change what I do but I hope that Harvard changes the way it proceeds.”

Roth hoped that university officials would realize that what happened was wrong and that they would change their minds, take a different path, and rectify things. It is worth noting that Roth here referenced the need to reassess Harvard’s decision-making process with respect to donor pressure and not just the incident that took place with respect to his fellowship. Only that, the former director argued, will “send a message to scholars around the world that it is safe to criticize ‘Israel’, that they’re not going to be punished for it.”

What do the supporters of “Israel” rely on to defend it?

The former director general of HRW confirmed to Al Mayadeen that supporters of the Israeli government engaged in a campaign of “name-calling” against those who criticize “Israel.”

He added that those engaged in the name-calling campaign have no intention of discussing the facts of what “Israel” is doing because “it’s pretty disturbing,” adding that “Israel” is “committing the human rights crime of apartheid.”

Additionally, Roth explained that instead of discussing the substance itself, these supporters show a sign of weakness as they resort to name-calling and say “you’re biased; you’re anti-Semitic.”

In conclusion, Roth voiced, through Al Mayadeen, that his greatest concern is the paralleling that Israeli government supporters are committed to in labeling any criticism of “Israel” as anti-Semetic. 

In a letter sent by HRW to Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow, it was noted that “the Kennedy School’s decision to deny Mr. Roth the opportunity of joining the Carr Center because of his work will doubtlessly have repercussions for academic freedom throughout Harvard University,” adding that “unless addressed it could taint Harvard’s stellar reputation around the globe.”

The letter further urged the president “to review the decision and take the measures necessary to uphold the values of academic freedom.”

Read more: Harvard revokes former HRW head’s fellowship over “Israel” criticism

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