Several universities in the United States have put a halt to campus protest activities this week as school leaders reached agreements with pro-Palestinian protesters, thereby avoiding potential disruptions to final exams and graduation ceremonies.
According to reports by the Associated Press, agreements have been reached to end campus demonstrations at several schools including Brown University, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, and the University of California, Riverside.
Since April 17, chaos has erupted on 46 campuses nationwide, with over 2,400 protesters being arrested. Columbia University and UCLA, among other schools, have experienced heightened chaos, with camping activities and building occupations disrupting classroom instruction.
The agreements include commitments from the schools to review their investments in Israel or consider calls to stop doing business with the long-time U.S. ally, Israel. With the ongoing conflict in Gaza, many protesters’ demands have focused on the connections between U.S. universities and the Israeli military.
Discussing divestment from Israel itself represents a significant shift. The boycott Israel movement has long been controversial in the U.S., with opponents arguing it could lead to anti-Semitism. While these universities have made concessions in granting amnesty to protesters and funding Middle East studies, they have not committed to altering their investments.
Ralph Young, a history professor at Temple University who studies dissent in America, commented, “For some universities, this may just be a delaying tactic to calm protests. It’s currently the end of the semester. Perhaps by the start of the next semester, the situation in Gaza may have calmed down.”
He pointed out that some university boards may never even vote on the issue of divesting from Israel as it could be a complex process. Some public universities have also stated that they do not have the authority to do so.
However, the professor also stressed that dialogue is a better strategy than arrests, which can further enrage protesters.
He said, “At least dialogue can make protesters feel like they have gained something, whether or not they have gained anything is another question.”