University Gives In to Anti-Israel Protest Demands, Agreeing to Their Demands

(DailyVantage.com) – Taking a different tack against pro-Palestinian and pro-Hamas student protesters on campus, Northwestern University has opted to strike a deal with activists, rather than allow police and law enforcement to disperse striking students.

The Illinois-based university is the first American tertiary institution to agree to come to terms with anti-Israel protesters’ demands. For one, the school would divest from Israel and grant students’ request to look into the university’s investments. Financial assistance would also be offered to a certain number of new faculty members and students from Palestine. In exchange, the protesters essentially dismantled their “occupy”-style encampment, located in the campus’ Deering Meadow. Only a few tents and litter remained just hours after the school and protest organizers announced that the two parties had reached an agreement.

According to Northwestern University President Michael Schill, he agreed to protesters’ terms in order to “prioritize the health and safety of our entire community.”

However, many panned the university administration’s capitulation to student activists’ demand. The Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest Chapter, along with several other Jewish organizations, have called for Schill’s resignation. A number of the university’s students also paid a visit to Capitol Hill, telling lawmakers that they experienced antisemitism and were subjected to hateful rhetoric from anti-Israel protesters. Three students have also sued the Northwestern over the harassment and racism they experienced on campus. In their lawsuit filed with the Circuit Court of Cook County, the students accuse the university and its officials of a “gross breach” of its duty protect them from discrimination and ensure their safety on campus. Instead, the plaintiffs say that Northwestern chose to “facilitate, encourage, and coddle a dystopic cesspool of hate.”

A spokesperson for Northwestern defended the school’s decision, saying that the university president was “proud” to have been the first to achieve what no other American university has, which was to create a “sustainable de-escalated path forward,” with a focus on maintaining student safety and reducing risk for all involved.