By: Gonzales, Kiersten Claire
More than 100 college students at Columbia University demand their schools to cut investments supporting Israel and companies that support the ongoing war in Gaza on Friday, April 19th .
The students call to separate themselves from companies advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza, cease business with military weapons manufacturers supplying arms to Israel, and cancel investments in college endowments with money managers profiting from Israeli companies.
Columbia protest leader Mahmoud Khalil emphasizes the group’s desire for visibility and encourages the university to take action regarding the ongoing Gaza conflict.
“The university should do something about what we’re asking for, about the genocide that’s happening in Gaza. They should stop investing in this genocide,” he added.
Student governments at several colleges, including Columbia, Harvard Law, Rutgers, and American University, also pass resolutions urging an end to investments and academic partnerships with Israel.
Meanwhile, despite some university officials’ acknowledgment of the students’ protests, others reject the demands due to concerns about anti-Semitism and the potential impact on academic partnerships.
