29 November 2024
Student members of “Cambridge for Palestine” ended their encampment last summer on the assurance from the University administration that it would carefully consider their demands, including the full disclosure of University investments to ensure it was not profiting from genocide and abandoning the IHRC definition of antisemitism. They have concluded that the administration has failed to honour its promise and have therefore occupied the financial centre of the University. Here is their statement.
In the early evening of Friday [22 November], students [forming] part of Cambridge for Palestine have escalated their protest against the University of Cambridge by occupying it’s financial core, Greenwich House. It is day 412 of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and 76 years of the same in Palestine. The settler colonial state of israel has killed over 44,000 Palestinians and targeted every aspect of life in Gaza, including the destruction of hospitals, universities, schools, and entire cities. Currently, after more than 40 days of no aid, the north of Gaza is completely cut off from the world. The Zionist state is showing clear, televised intention of annexing portions of North Gaza, which have been ethnically cleansed. There is no end in sight as israeli media continues stating intent to make Gaza a new israeli settlement. Cambridge University is not only known to invest in weapons manufacturing companies involved in the genocide, but also takes part in research collaborations aimed at developing the weapons and AI systems used to oppress and ethnically cleanse Palestine. This is an institution that proudly flaunts its connection to Arthur Balfour, an indirect co-founder of the settler colonial Zionist state. We find it abhorrent that our institute of learning is so stained with blood; the condition of this institution requires an urgent response.
Cambridge for Palestine repeats its calls for an immediate end to our university’s complicity in israel’s ongoing genocide, occupation, and ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Enough is enough.
Free Palestine!!!
