Anti-Israel student activists double down on calls for Princeton to divest from Israel
Princeton University’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter has joined with other anti-Israel student groups to urge the board of trustees to divest from 'Weapons manufacturing.'
The chapter argued that because students voted in favor of divesting from various defense companies through a referendum, the trustees and the Princeton University Investment Company should support divestment.
Princeton University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter has joined with other anti-Israel student groups to urge the board of trustees to divest from “Weapons manufacturing.”
In its Instagram post on Saturday, the chapter argued that, because students voted in favor of divesting from various defense companies through a referendum, the trustees of the university and the Princeton University Investment Company (PRINCO) should support divestment.
The SJP group outlined that the referendum would have made the university and PRINCO take “urgent and decisive action towards upholding human rights by ... disclosing and divesting all direct and indirect holdings in companies involved in weapons development, manufacturing, or trade.”
The student organization also stated that its priority following the vote is to ensure that the university begins “disclosing and divesting directing direct holdings in Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX (formerly Raytheon), and General Dynamics, weapons manufacturers with documented ties to human rights violations.”
Despite the SJP chapter’s claims, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated in April that the U.S. does not have evidence that there is an ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas.
Princeton’s SJP also demanded that PRINCO and the trustees begin “increasing communication and accountability on socially responsible investments with the student body and campus community.”
The activist group’s post said that “68% of undergraduate students have voted in favor of divesting from weapons manufacturing as the genocide against the Palestinian people continues,” followed by, “Princeton, will you listen to your students?”
The group indicated that it will continue to “Celebrate our win” while the university’s undergraduate student government sends a “position letter” informing the trustees of the results of the student vote. The chapter also noted that it will continue to discuss the measures voted on by students, specifically by forming “SJP Town Halls” once a month that will allow students to “ask questions, discuss strategy, and help make our movement stronger.”
Campus Reform has contacted Princeton University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
