Divestment is an economic strategy used by various groups, including college protesters, to express their opposition to a certain policy, principle or practice, by withdrawing financial investments from entities considered problematic.
When students push for their universities or colleges to “divest from ties to Israel”, it generally means they want their institution to remove any financial investments in companies or organizations operating in or doing business with Israel. This can be done in several ways. Some advocate for a broad divestment, calling for universities to disinvest from any company or organization that has financial ties with Israeli institutions or companies. Others focus on particular industries, like weapons or fossil fuels, which they identify as contributing to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
This protest action is part of a broader movement known as Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), a global campaign promoting forms of boycott against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights, as defined by the BDS movement.
The motivations behind such demands vary. Some supporters see it as a means to exert pressure on Israel to change its policies toward Palestine, using economic means to influence political ends. Others are opposed to their tuition money being used to support what they see as unethical activities.
However, these campaigns can be contentious. Critics argue that BDS indiscriminately targets Israeli citizens rather than the government, is counterproductive to the peace process, and that it is an attempt to delegitimize Israel. Furthermore, some argue that there are other states with equally
