Mahmoud Khalil, a student protester at Columbia University, was focused on getting the university to sever all financial ties with Israel during negotiations with school administrators. Despite offering draft agreements and counter proposals, Khalil realized that the university was unwilling to negotiate on divestment. Columbia preferred not to criticize Israel and avoided making any commitments in writing, leading Khalil and other protesters to reject offers that were similar to those accepted by students at other campuses.
Part of the protesters’ demands included more transparency of Columbia’s investment portfolio, which demonstrated small holdings in companies connected to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The university offered a process for students to access direct holdings and suggested launching programs to aid childhood development in the West Bank and Gaza. When Columbia declined an offer to divest from weapons manufacturing companies, Khalil and his co-negotiator walked out of negotiations. The school later suspended and then reversed the suspension of Khalil after clearing the student encampment with the involvement of the New York Police Department.
While some universities, such as Brown University and Northwestern University, reached agreements with protesters regarding divestiture, Columbia was unable to come to a resolution with student protesters. The university has a history of student protests and divestment demands, particularly related to issues such as apartheid in South Africa. Despite divesting from private prisons and certain companies, Columbia has consistently opposed divestment from Israel, dating back to President Lee Bollinger’s stance in 2002.
Comparisons between Israel and South Africa’s apartheid system have sparked contentious debate, with Human Rights Watch accusing Israel of systematic oppression and inhumane acts amounting to apartheid. Efforts by students to push for divestment from Israel at Columbia have faced opposition from the university administration, donors, and advisory committees. As Columbia faces pressure from donors and protesters, the complexity of divesting investments with links to Israel poses challenges due to the nature of endowments.
Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, affirmed the university’s commitment to free speech in an editorial following the unsuccessful negotiations with student protesters. Khalil, reflecting on the negotiation process, expressed regret over potential leniency in their tactics but is focused on strengthening Columbia’s Palestinian community and educating students about the Palestinian cause. Despite the lack of agreement, Khalil remains optimistic about the momentum surrounding the issue. The protest at Columbia University highlights the challenges and complexities involved in negotiations over divestment and university investments related to countries like Israel.
