Princeton faculty join students in hunger strike for Gaza solidarity

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
11 May 2024 08:52
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The students' group is on hunger strike until the university agrees to discuss divestment and academic and cultural boycott of "Israel".

Students on hunger strike at Princeton University in the US (The Daily Princetonian)

More than 12 faculty members have decided to join the hunger strike with their students at Princeton University in solidarity with Gaza. 18 students already began their fast on May 3 and while faculty members joined in now, many committed to joining in the next few days.

In a joint statement, the faculty members said, “Our daylong solidarity fast pales in comparison to the efforts of our students who are undertaking this strike to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people of Gaza and the West Bank, who are being subjected to a forced famine and genocidal assault by the State of Israel."

The students are on hunger strike until the university agrees to discuss divestment and academic and cultural boycott of "Israel" as they also want Princeton to drop all criminal and disciplinary action against those participating and to reverse all campus bans and evictions of students.

“We urge the University Administration to engage in good faith negotiations with student and faculty representatives and consider the urgent need to divest from Israel until such time as it ceases its genocidal war against the Palestinian people of Gaza and until Israel comes into compliance with international law and ends its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and other Palestinian lands. We also urge the University Administration to grant complete amnesty to any students, faculty, staff, and community members facing disciplinary action for engaging in peaceful protests,” the statement continued.

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The letter also highlighted the fear by faculty members of the University's retaliation for voicing their “deeply held moral beliefs and concern for their students’ well-being.”

“It is important to underscore that the University’s current tactics of intimidation surrounding those involved in advocating for justice for Palestine have created an atmosphere of repression at Princeton University,” they noted.

“Not even all faculty involved in this fast, tenured and untenured, feel secure making their participation public for fear of retaliation. As good educators do, we wish to leave you with a question: what is the state of academic freedom and so-called ‘respectable debate’ when faculty fear University retaliation in voicing their deeply held moral beliefs and concern for their students’ well-being?”

Encampments in support of Gaza across the globe in universities continue in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Students across the globe are currently staging protests on their campuses, urging their universities to divest from "Israel" and cease their… pic.twitter.com/AhAHHoPL5b
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 8, 2024

'We Care'

In response, when asked about the hunger strike, Princeton asserted that they cared about their students and that the director of medical services at the University visited them often to check on their health.

Jennifer Morrill, Director of Media Relations, said, "Dr. Melissa Marks, director of medical services at University Health Services, has visited the group on multiple occasions including last weekend to offer health information and ongoing medical support."

She added, "It is important to note that the hunger strikers have full access, as do all students, to the comprehensive health care provided through University Health Services. Dr. Marks is making regular visits to the students at Cannon Green, where they are also being checked on by volunteer physicians from the community. Dr. Marks is also in regular communication with those medical providers, who are fully aware of UHS services and refer students as needed."

This comes days after 50 students from Princeton High School walked out of school to join the protesters at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Princeton University.

Pro-Palestine protests have swept university campuses across the United States, with calls for the alienation from "Israel" or Israeli-affiliated institutions.

As student protests and movements increasingly gained momentum, hundreds of arrests were made as police tried to thwart their efforts, and the government mobilized to introduce legislation that would ultimately punish those participating.

Israeli lobbyists and the Israeli government are relentlessly pressuring US government officials to take more action against such movements in an effort to silence the criticism targeted toward "Israel" and demands to divest from the occupation.

Despite their efforts, the actions of lobbies and governments are proving futile as universities across the United States are beginning to divest from companies profiting from the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.