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Demands to withdraw Israel-related investments in various US universities are getting stronger day by day. Recently, students at Columbia University held a protest rally. But not only at Columbia, but at many other universities in the United States, there is growing demand to withdraw investments related to Israel or investments that benefit Israel.
According to the news of the New York Times, students at Yale and Cornell University in the United States have called for an end to investment in weapons production. Columbia University students are demanding divestment from funds and businesses that profit from Israel's operations in Gaza or the long-term occupation of Palestinian territory.
These include Google and Airbnb. The company has so far laid off about 50 workers in protest of Google's deal with the Israeli government. On the other hand, Airbnb is helping Israeli companies located in the occupied West Bank to get listed on the stock market.
However, researchers say that even if the demand for withdrawal of such investments is implemented, Israel and related businesses will not suffer much. They also said that universities withdrawing investment or losing voting rights would have the opposite effect. Then there will be no involvement of institutions like universities in the activities of these companies. In this, those companies will have the opportunity to do whatever they want.
Universities have so far rejected demands from Israel-linked companies to divest. Israel's supporters say these claims are unfair in the sense that Israel is always under threat of attack. At the same time, this claim is related to anti-Semitism. Because these demands are aimed at the Jewish-dominated countries of the world. Boycott, disinvestment and prohibitionists make such complaints.
Some of these pro-Palestinian activists are Jews. They think that the demand for withdrawal of investment is a foolproof strategy to force the college authorities to take action in this matter. Through this demand, support will be created in favor of their demand. Such activities are not new. Students in the 1980s also pressured educational institutions to divest from companies doing business in apartheid South Africa. The same strategy was used to force divestment from fossil fuel companies.
Columbia University student movement organizer Ray Guerrero told the New York Times, first of all, they want to see the results of this university movement. Because this is where they have the most strength. They hope that this movement will spread - then the companies will understand the results of this movement.
Companies that are targeted
The university-based newspapers have taken a stand in favor of this demand of the students. Colonel Daily Sun supported the university's demand for disinvestment from arms companies. The demand for divestment comes from companies that work directly in support of Israel.
The Daily Sun wrote that Cornell University should not be supporting a war that is being waged without the slightest regard for civilian life.
Meanwhile, Columbia students have also demanded divestment from companies not directly involved in Israel's war, such as Caterpillar, Google and Airbnb.
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