Less than a year after Queen’s decision not to divest, Palestinian activists have fired off another petition.
Queen’s University Faculty and Staff for Palestine (QFS4P), a Palestinian advocacy group and local chapter of Faculty4Palestine, has put out a petition calling on the University to cut ties from “all corporations and institutions complicit in genocide, settler-colonialism, apartheid, or ethnic cleansing against Palestinians,” and to “divest from companies and corporations profiting from Israeli apartheid.” The petition was announced on QFS4P’s Instagram on Sept. 18 following a UN commission finding that Israel was committing a ‘genocide’ in Gaza.
The petition comes after a previous request for divestment was heard but ultimately denied under Procedure 2 (Special Requests) last March—the procedure that mandates the University to hear cases for divestment if a petition garners enough signatures. Requests under Procedure 2 were put on hold in order to undergo a policy review but have yet to be reinstated.
Despite specific requests from The Journal, the University didn’t say when the Procedure review will be completed, how it’s being conducted, or whether it will reconsider divestment after last year’s rejection.
“The Investment Committee is currently reviewing the Responsible Investing Policy–Procedure 2– Special Requests. A moratorium on new requests is in place until that review is complete, and no new requests have been received at this time,” the University wrote.
In a statement to The Journal, QFS4P expanded on the specific companies they’re calling for divestment from. They pointed to Queen’s Apartheid Divest Coalition (QUAD) research, which highlights specific companies and funds, including Amazon, Chevron, and Exxon Mobil.
QFS4P also added that according to QUAD’s research, the University has $150 million invested in companies, which covers “weapons manufacturers, technology companies, oil companies, banks, and other service providers that directly contribute to this violence.”
Alongside divestment, the petition also calls for the establishment of five scholarships that will be maintained for the next 10 years, valued at $40,000 per student per year, for Palestinian students “who have been impacted by the genocide or the apartheid regime.” QFS4P also expanded on why they feel this scholarship is important, in addition to the call for divestment.
“While we do expect the University to finally address its silence around the deaths of colleagues and students and the destruction of Gaza’s educational system, these scholarships are a concrete step toward addressing scholasticide. They provide tangible support for Palestinian students and help to correct the university’s inaction,” QFS4P wrote.
QFS4P added that this was the only new request in this year’s petition, explaining that in their eyes, this would be in line with the University’s previous decisions. While QFS4P still worries their petition might not be considered, they’re hoping the administration “will finally come around; and we’ll certainly continue to put pressure on the administration.”
“Change is a matter of political will, not institutional policy—the University is making its own policies, after all.”
Tags
Divestment, Palestine, Queen’s University Faculty and Staff for Palestine (QFS4P)
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Matt
I think the scholarships are a fantastic idea! Giving education to people who have only learned to hate and kill Jewish people and Israeli’s their entire lives is a good thing. It’s such a shame, though, how the world is purely focused on hating Israel and Jewish people. THERE IS NO GENOCIDE; the UN is corrupt and anti-semetic, where is all the attention of REAL genocides like in South Sudan, Nigeria, China? I am so ashamed of Queen’s, as an alumnus, I sometimes don’t want to associate myself with what has become a breeding ground for Jewish hatred. I am so glad I didn’t have to go to school there while this hate was on display.
TO BE CLEAR – the settlements are bad, and yes, Israel is slowly taking land back from the West Bank and Gaza, which is bad – we need a 2-state solution. IT REALLY IS SIMPLE, both sides need to acknowledge the other side’s claim to the land, and LEARN TO SHARE. But there is no genocide; people on the anti-Israel side need to start admitting that Hamas wants this war, they don’t care about their people, and Israel actually does. THEY ARE THE ONLY ARMY IN HISTORY IN THE WORLD TO GIVE NOTICE ABOUT ATTACKS, GIVE MEDICAL SUPPORT TO THE OTHER SIDE, AND GIVE AID TO THE OTHER SIDE.
End Jewish hatred, end hatred of zionism, end anti-semitism. Acknowledge both sides’ claims to the land, have peace, and get rid of extremists (including Hamas, the PA and Abbas, Netanyahu, all Jewish lawmakers who hate Palestinians, etc.).