King’s College Cambridge divests from Israeli-linked arms companies
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King’s College Cambridge adopts a new investment policy, divesting from arms firms linked to "Israel" after student protests against the war in Gaza.
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A pro-Palestine banner hangs on a wall of King's College, Cambridge, undated (AFP)
King’s College Cambridge, one of the largest colleges at the University of Cambridge, announced on Tuesday that it will divest from arms manufacturers and companies complicit in the occupation of Palestinian territories. The move comes after months of pro-Palestine student protests over the ongoing genocidal war and blockade of Gaza by the Israeli occupation.
The college stated that its governing body adopted a new responsible investment policy aimed at aligning with the values of its community. The decision followed encampments and demonstrations on campus opposing the Israeli war on Gaza.
In August 2024, King’s College London (KCL) became the first college in the British capital to divest from companies that supply arms and military equipment to "Israel". The divestment means KCL will cease all direct investments in companies, such as Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, and Boeing.
These companies are major military suppliers to "Israel", producing cluster bombs, land mines, depleted uranium weapons, and other armaments.
Divestment targets arms, occupation-linked firms
Under the new policy, King’s College will exclude from its investment portfolio all companies involved in activities "generally recognized as illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation." This includes firms that produce military and nuclear weapons, or key components of such weaponry.
The college noted that the divestment will be implemented across its investment holdings by the end of the calendar year and was the result of extensive internal discussions prompted by the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Trinity College cuts ties with arms industry
Trinity College, the wealthiest constituent college at Cambridge, has announced it will divest from all arms companies, making King’s and Trinity the first to take such a public stance.
As of March 2023, King’s College held £2.2 million ($2.94 million) in indirect investments in firms such as Lockheed Martin, Korea Aerospace, and BAE Systems.
Student groups hail victory for Palestine solidarity
The student group King’s Cambridge 4 Palestine (KC4P) welcomed the announcement, calling it a significant step but emphasizing the urgency of action.
“KC4P implore the university and other colleges to follow the example set by King's, although the decision comes far too late for the thousands of Palestinians who have been starved, tortured, and killed at the hands of the ‘Israeli’ regime,” the group said.
Stella Swain, youth and student officer at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, described the decision as a "massive victory" and a testament to the persistence of student activism.
"If King’s College, at the heart of Cambridge, can finally listen to its students and divest from the arms industry and companies complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestine, then every university can act to ensure they are on the right side of history," she stated.
Students at Oxford University have also mobilized in recent weeks, calling for divestment from and boycott of Israeli institutions profiting from the war in Gaza, signaling a broader wave of academic pushback across the UK.
