Link anti-Israel demands to climate change, domestic gun violence
Here we go again: A group of students, this time at Yale, are threatening to go on a hunger strike if the university does not divest from Israel by Friday.
A group dubbed Hunger Strikers for Palestine informed Yale President Peter Salovey two days ago they have “witnessed th[e] ongoing [Palestinian] genocide from the comforts of not only of the heart of the empire that is funding the military conquest and colonization of Palestine …”
After expressing frustration with the failure of “every mode possible of making [their] voices heard,” HSP’s letter demands Salovey make a “public statement” by April 12 “committing to divest from all weapons manufacturing companies contributing to Israel’s assault on Palestine.”
The HSP notes “the first 60 days” of Israel’s counter-attack following Hamas’ October 7 surprise assault “released more [greenhouse gas] emissions” than the annual emissions of 20 individual countries.” (The countries aren’t specified.)
Further, the strikers say Yale’s “commitment to ‘an environment in which teachers and students are free from gun violence and the fear of gun violence’ must extend to Palestine” as Israel’s military inflicts “incontrovertible societal harm” and “grave social injury.”
MORE: Yale is a ‘campus without care’ after hosting ‘anti-Israel’ event, Jewish students say
If Salovey doesn’t agree to the demands, the dozen HSP members will “risk their bodily health and wellbeing.” (But, they note, theirs is “only a fraction” of what those in Gaza are going through).
The student groups Graduate Students for Palestine on Instagram, Yalies4Palestine and Law Students for Justice in Palestine helped spread the letter on social media, the Yale Daily News reports.
Yale’s hunger strike is just the latest example of progressive, anti-Israel students who have threatened to go without sustenance in a show of unity with the Palestinians.
Early in the year, Brown University’s Brown Divest Coalition kept interested followers updated on its hunger strike progress via social media. Soon after, students from Dartmouth struck as a “last resort” following months of “apathetic, cruel and provocative measures” by school administrators.
Most recently, hunger strikers at the University of South Florida claimed the school was “forcing” them to “starve themselves” because it didn’t agree to their demands.
MORE: Yale students attend ‘Reading Week for Gaza’ event
IMAGE: Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock.com
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