Brown University caved to radical anti-Israel demonstrators this week, promising that the university’s governing body would consider voting on divestment from Israel if the activists would dismantle their encampment on campus.
According to the Jerusalem Post, that makes Brown the first university to consider divestment from Israel.
In December, 41 anti-Israel activists were arrested after occupying an administration building. In April, activists took over an area of campus known as the Main Green, prompting concern from local Jewish leaders and clergy, who noted that some chants used by activists on and off campus were antisemitic, calling for the elimination of Israel.
Instead of enforcing university policies, Brown — like Northwestern University — decided to capitulate to the mob.
The Brown Daily Herald reported:
The Corporation, Brown’s highest governing body, will vote on divestment from companies affiliated with Israel at its October meeting following an agreement between encampment organizers and University administrators this afternoon. Organizers announced the agreement at a rally.
Organizers have agreed to clear the Main Green encampment by 5 p.m. today and not hold any unauthorized protests through Commencement, which ends May 26. Students in the encampment, which began last Wednesday, have been calling on the University to divest from companies with ties to the Israeli government and drop the charges against the 41 students arrested in a Dec. 11 University Hall sit-in. Charges against the 41 arrested students will not be dropped at this time.
…
Students will still face disciplinary proceedings for their involvement in the encampment, the agreement states.
While campus rabbis expressed relief that the encampment was being dismantled, other local Jewish groups reacted in alarm. Rabbi Ron Fish of the Anti-Defamation League’s New England chapter accused Brown of “validating a movement rife with antisemitism and hate.” Noting that Brown had opposed divestment in the past, he said that Brown’s deal would simply create incentives for more radical protest and “antisemitic harassment” of Jews.
“This story is not yet over but this is a sad chapter and a dark day for Brown University,” he concluded.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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