Rutgers bends to pro-Palestinian protesters' demands, will discuss divesting from Israel

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (TND) — Rutgers University struck an agreement Thursday with pro-Palestine protesters running an encampment on its campus which includes a pledge to discuss divesting funds from Israel.

University President Jonathan Holloway will meet with students to review the Endowment Justice Collective coalition’s request to pull investments. Demonstrators at Rutgers’ New Brunswick campus in an encampment formed this week demanded the university divest.

This resolution was achieved through constructive dialogue between the protesting students and our leadership teams,” university Chancellor Francine Conway said on Thursday. “This agreement opens the door for ongoing dialogue and better addresses the needs of our Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian student body, which numbers over 7,000.”

In exchange, the protesters agreed to end the encampment and remove all tents and trash from the area. Rutgers will spare students, staff and alumni from retaliation and consider the protesters’ dismantling of the demonstration favorably in proceedings for violations of university policies.

The university will also develop anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism training for all administrators and staff. Rutgers said it disapproved of Thursday’s encampment, but had to balance its priorities as finals continued.

As per the Rutgers University Policy on Disruptions, we do not condone this morning's disruption but recognize the necessity of balancing free speech and peaceful protest with our educational, research, and operational imperatives,” Conway said. “This is a time for reflection, healing, and working toward reconciliation.”

The protesters also demanded Rutgers end its partnership with Tel Aviv University, which Conway claimed fell outside of the Holloway’s purview.

“We still have a great deal of work ahead and will continue to be tested,” Holloway said. “I ask everyone to be civil to one another, to be respectful of one another, and to embrace our shared humanity.”

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The agreement came two days after Brown University pledged to consider divestment after demonstrators set up a "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on campus. Brown will decide in October whether to pull its investments from Boeing, General Electric, Motorola, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and other companies.

This achievement is not the end to our work but rather fuel for it,” the Brown Divest Coalition said following the agreement. “We will continue fighting until every last cent is divested from the Israeli Occupation and Palestine is free.”

The organization claimed it would continue pressuring Brown and supported other encampment protests occurring across the U.S.

“We stand with student protestors as they face university oppression and police brutality, and the people of Palestine as they continue to withstand the Israeli occupation,” the coalition said.

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