Pro-Palestinian protesters agree to end encampment at Harvard

[KARAH RUCKER]

PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS AT HARVARD HAVE APPARENTLY REACHED A PEACEFUL END.

THE UNIVERSITY AND STUDENT PROTESTERS REACHED AN AGREEMENT TUESDAY TO END THE WEEKS-LONG PRO-PALESTINIAN ENCAMPMENT.

HARVARD OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE AGREED TO DISCUSS STUDENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOL’S FINANCIAL CONNECTIONS TO ISRAELI ORGANIZATIONS.

PROTESTERS SAID HARVARD AGREED TO LET THE STUDENTS SET AN AGENDA TO DISCUSS DISCLOSURE, DIVESTMENT, AND REINVESTMENT AND TO CONSIDER THE CREATION OF A CENTER FOR PALESTINIAN STUDIES.

HARVARD’S INTERIM PRESIDENT SAYS THE AGENDA WILL BE SET BY STUDENTS BUT NO CONCESSIONS HAVE BEEN AGREED UPON YET.

THE STUDENT COALITION ALSO CLAIMS HARVARD IS “BACKING DOWN ON DISCIPLINARY MEASURES” FOR MORE THAN 60 STUDENTS AND STUDENT WORKERS CONNECTED TO THE PROTESTS, INCLUDING BY OFFERING LENIENCY AND RETRACTED SUSPENSIONS

HARVARD’S INTERIM PRESIDENT SAYS SUSPENSIONS AND PUNISHMENTS ARE UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AND NO DEAL HAS BEEN REACHED YET, THOUGH THE UNIVERSITY DID SAY IT WILL QUICKLY PROCESS PETITIONS FOR REINSTATEMENT FOR SUSPENDED STUDENTS.

THE OUTCOME FOLLOWS SIMILAR MOVES BY OTHER UNIVERSITIES.

BROWN AND NORTHWESTERN AGREED TO MEETINGS BETWEEN TRUSTEES AND STUDENTS TO DISCUSS “DIVESTMENT” AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PALESTINIAN STUDENTS. THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE AGREED TO ISSUE A CALL FOR A CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA.

STUDENTS AT MANY COLLEGES SET UP SIMILAR ENCAMPMENTS DEMANDING THEIR SCHOOLS CUT TIES WITH ISRAEL AND BUSINESSES CONNECTED TO THE COUNTRY.

SOME STUDENTS CRITICIZED HARVARD’S COMPROMISE.

ONE JEWISH STUDENT SAYING THE UNIVERSITY “CAPITULATED TO PROTESTERS.”

HARVARD OFFICIALS DISAGREED. 

SAYING THEY DID NOT CAVE– BUT INSTEAD OPENED A DIALOGUE ABOUT DEMANDS.

AND THEY HAD NOT COMMITTED TO ANY ACTION YET. 

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