Middle East studies in the News

Massachusetts College Divests from Israel [incl. Norman Finkelstein]

Jewish Telegraphic Agency
February 12, 2009

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/02/12/1002973/hampshire-college-divests-from-israel

http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/6896

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Hampshire College is believed to be the first American college or university to divest from Israel.

At the urging of the student group Students for Justice in Palestine, the board of trustees of the Massachusetts college reportedly approved a proposal on Feb. 7 that would divest school funds from six companies deemed to be complicit in the Israeli occupation. They are Caterpillar, United Technologies, General Electric, ITT Corp., Motorola and Terex.

The proposal drew support from noted Israel critics Noam Chomsky and Norman Finkelstein, as well as the rock musician Roger Waters of Pink Floyd.

Divestment efforts and academic boycotts of Israel have largely failed, both in the United States and abroad. A divestment push at Harvard University drew a rebuke from Lawrence Summers, then the university president and current Obama administration official. Summers said the singling out of Israel was anti-Semitic "in their effect, if not their intent."

In May, the United Methodist Church rejected five separate petitions calling for divestment from companies that support or profit from the Israeli occupation, a move that drew praise from Jewish organizations.

Note: Articles listed under "Middle East studies in the News" provide information on current developments concerning Middle East studies on North American campuses. These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Campus Watch and do not necessarily correspond to Campus Watch's critique.

receive the latest by email: subscribe to campus watch's free mailing list