WASHINGTON DC, Sunday, May 19, 2024 (WAFA) – An encampment advocating for a permanent and immediate ceasefire in Gaza and divestment from Israeli genocide was established by students in the Drexel University in Philadelphia on Saturday night, according to the Drexel Palestine Coalition.
The Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Drexel is demanding several actions from the university, including divestment from the Israeli genocide and reallocating funds towards investments in Palestine.
Additionally, the students are demanding disclosure of material and financial expenses and profits, defense against repression and censorship, and an explicit acknowledgment of the ongoing crisis in Gaza as a genocide, stated a news release from the coalition.
The Drexel Palestine Coalition stated that the encampment was a response to the Palestinian call for escalations to halt the fast-paced genocide in Gaza.
Expressing their discontent with Drexel's complicity in Israeli occupation, particularly citing ties with Lockheed Martin, investments in BlackRock, research and exchange programs with Israeli universities, and real estate portfolio connections to Israel Bonds, the coalition aims to draw attention to what they perceive as unethical affiliations.
Kendell Lewis, a Drexel student, expressed hope that the encampment would bring about positive change, stating to ABC News, "I hope it is more fruitful, and more organizations around the area step up and also collab and put more efforts in the organization. Because we want to keep it peaceful at the same time. You don't want anyone to get hurt. We just want people to be heard."
This initiative comes less than 24 hours after 19 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested by police on the University of Pennsylvania's campus, indicating a growing momentum in local activism surrounding the Palestinian cause.
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