The University of California Riverside yielded to the demands of pro-Palestinian activists on Friday during a campus “encampment,” diverging from the rest of the University of California (UC) system by considering divesting from Israel. The activists, who are part of a broader movement led by anti-Israel groups, also called for a boycott of Israeli universities.
Local news outlet KTLA 5 reported that the encampment began on April 29 and was organized by the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. The university administration agreed to create a task force to explore divesting from Israel and to discontinue study abroad programs in several countries, including Israel.
The UC Riverside chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine claimed victory on Instagram, stating that the institution had suspended all study abroad programs with Israel and committed to boycotting the Sabra brand of hummus. However, it remains unclear how this agreement aligns with California law that prohibits anti-Israel boycotts.
UC Riverside is among the first institutions, along with Brown University, to consider divesting from Israel. It is uncertain whether UC Riverside can implement this decision independently of the UC system’s policy against divesting from Israel.
