Salt Lake City, UT – In a significant victory for student activism, more than 50 students and community members rallied at the University of Utah on October 3, demanding the suspension of the university’s study abroad program with the University of Haifa, an Israeli institution known for its military affiliations and alleged discrimination against Arab and Muslim students. The demonstrators also called for the complete divestment from companies linked to Israel’s actions in Gaza, urging reinvestment in student resources and respect for students’ rights to protest in support of Palestine.
The protest, which echoed with chants and slogans in solidarity with Palestinian resistance, comes amid growing tensions on campuses across the U.S. regarding universities’ ties to Israeli institutions and corporations that activists claim are complicit in the occupation of Palestinian territories.
A Year of Resistance Amidst Tragedy
Chris Loera-Peña, a member of MECHA de U of U, highlighted the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the global movement against Israeli military actions. “It’s been a year of genocide, but also a year of non-stop resistance and fighting from the Palestinian people and the entire world,” Loera-Peña said, reflecting the sentiment of many at the rally. The protesters were vocal in their condemnation of the Israeli government’s policies, framing their calls for action as part of a broader struggle for justice and human rights in Palestine.
The rally marked the culmination of weeks of activism on campus. Utah students, galvanized by reports of violence in Gaza and the longstanding occupation of Palestinian lands, had been organizing since the beginning of the academic year. They staged campus speakouts, hosted educational events, and set up information tables, all aimed at raising awareness about the University of Haifa’s role in what they described as Israel’s militarized oppression of Palestinians. The University of Haifa, which offers programs in military strategy and national security, has been accused by activists of being complicit in discriminatory practices.
University Suspends Study Abroad Program
After persistent pressure from student groups, the University of Utah announced the suspension of its study abroad program with the University of Haifa for the academic year. This decision, though hailed as a victory by the students, falls short of their ultimate goal. Organizers continue to push for a permanent end to the partnership, insisting that severing ties with Israeli institutions involved in military activities is a necessary step toward justice.
Polly Redd, a member of MECHA de U of U, expressed the sense of accomplishment among the protesters while reinforcing the need for continued action. “When we show up together and join the struggle for a free Palestine, we will be heard,” Redd said during the rally. She urged the university to go further by not only suspending the study abroad program but also fully divesting from all Israeli enterprises. “We are calling for our school to end its study abroad program with the University of Haifa and divest from Israel entirely,” Redd added.
Chants and Cheers: A Call for Palestinian Freedom
The rally featured impassioned speeches, with students and community members chanting slogans such as, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes!” The atmosphere was charged with a sense of urgency as the demonstrators called for their university to take decisive action against what they described as genocide profiteering.
Despite efforts by undercover campus police to monitor and possibly intimidate the protesters, the rally participants remained undeterred. The speakers were met with enthusiastic cheers as they denounced the university’s financial ties to Israel and condemned its lack of investment in student resources.
Sebastian Miscenich of Utah Students for a Democratic Society spoke passionately about the allocation of university funds. “The money currently spent on genocide and war should be reinvested in student services and resource centers,” Miscenich said, emphasizing the irony of rising tuition fees despite cuts to programs like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and affirmative action in higher education. “Tuition has gone up and up, yet DEI, student resources, and affirmative action in higher education have all been slashed by the Republicans,” he added, pointing to a broader trend of austerity measures affecting universities nationwide.
A March for Justice
Following the speeches, the rally participants marched through the streets of Salt Lake City, braving the intense heat as they carried Palestinian flags and banners emblazoned with slogans like “Disclose and divest.” The two-mile march wound through the University of Utah campus, culminating at Legacy Bridge, a prominent campus landmark. Protesters held their signs high, drawing the attention of passing cars whose drivers honked in support.
As they marched, the demonstrators chanted, “There is only one solution – intifada, revolution!” Their calls for action resonated through the campus, underscoring their commitment to the Palestinian cause and their determination to push their university to take a firm stance on the issue.
The rally’s message was clear: the students demanded more than just symbolic gestures from the administration. They wanted the university to take tangible steps toward justice, not only by ending the study abroad program but also by divesting from companies profiting from the conflict in Gaza.
Organizers and Allies
The rally was a collaborative effort organized by several student groups, including MECHA de U of U, Utah Students for a Democratic Society, and the Vote Socialist 2024 Presidential campaign. These groups have been instrumental in mobilizing support for the Palestinian cause on campus and have worked together to challenge the University of Utah’s financial ties to Israel.
The coalition of organizers is part of a broader national movement calling for divestment from Israeli companies and institutions complicit in the occupation of Palestinian territories. Across the country, students have been increasingly vocal in their demands for universities to align their financial and academic practices with principles of human rights and social justice.
A Broader Movement
The rally at the University of Utah is part of a larger wave of student-led activism across the United States. In recent years, campuses have become battlegrounds for debates over divestment, with many students pushing for their universities to cut ties with companies and institutions they see as complicit in human rights abuses. The movement for Palestinian liberation, in particular, has gained momentum, with student groups organizing protests, sit-ins, and educational campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with escalating violence and a mounting humanitarian crisis, activists argue that universities have a moral obligation to take a stand. For the students at the University of Utah, the suspension of the study abroad program is just the beginning. They vow to continue their fight for justice and to hold their university accountable for its actions.
Looking Ahead
The suspension of the University of Utah’s study abroad program with the University of Haifa is a significant step, but for the student activists involved, it is not enough. They plan to keep organizing and pushing for a complete end to the program and for full divestment from Israel. As more universities face pressure from students to reconsider their financial and academic ties to Israel, the movement for Palestinian liberation on U.S. campuses shows no signs of slowing down.
The victory at the University of Utah serves as an example of what student activism can achieve when fueled by passion, persistence, and a commitment to justice. The students’ message is clear: they will not rest until their university stands on the right side of history.
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