Did Hampshire College Become the First to Divest from Israel?

by Charles Lenchner · 2009-02-13 04:10:00 UTC
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There are conflicting reports. Did Hampshire divest or not?

Hampshire Students for Justice in Palestine posted an article at Indymedia titled "Hampshire College Becomes First U.S. University to Divest from Israeli Occupation" The Hampshire College administration is calling this "misinformation" and stating that the decision to divest from one company is a result of adherence to its previously held position on socially responsible investing.

The kernal of truth is that a certain kind of internal review took place as a result of the student group's request. But instead of accepting the position of that group, or the logic behind it, the committee went on to remove funds from a specific fund guilty of investing in more than 200 companies "engaged in business practices that violate the college's policy on socially responsible practices."

It certainly feels like activist over-reach to me.

There is a reason why not a single college or university in the US has moved forward with divestment as a strategy for justice in Palestine. Decision makers at all levels, no matter how supportive they are of the Palestinians, see the conflict as between two parties who both share some responsibility for the current situation. Divestment implies that one party is a the victim and the other is a perpetrator, and seek to place pressure on only one side of the equation.

Palestinians need international support. The best kind will come from mature political decisions that embrace the complexity of the issues, and address themselves towards the peace rejectionists of both sides.

More of the student statement:

Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, has become the first of any college or university in the U.S. to divest from companies on the grounds of their involvement in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

This landmark move is a direct result of a two-year intensive campaign by the campus group, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The group pressured Hampshire College's Board of Trustees to divest from six specific companies due tohuman rights concerns in occupied Palestine. Over 800 students, professors, and alumni have signed SJP's "institutional statement" calling for the divestment.

The proposal put forth by SJP was approved on Saturday, 7 Feb 2009 by the Board. By divesting from these companies, SJP believes that Hampshire has distanced itself from complicity in the illegal occupation and war crimes of Israel.

Meeting minutes from a committee of Hampshire's Board of Trustees confirm that "President Hexter acknowledged that it was the good work of SJP that brought thisissue to the attention of the committee."

Charles Lenchner
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