‘Emergency rally’ puts Trinity College, Cambridge, under pressure over investment in Israeli arms manufacturer
Protesters gathered outside Trinity College on Sunday for an ‘emergency rally’ to denounce an apparent lack of progress on a policy formulated in May to end investments in arms manufacturers.
The University of Cambridge college came under pressure earlier this year for investing in Israel’s main arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems. In a March report the Cambridge Independent noted that the UK-based International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) issued the college with a legal notice over the direct investment in Elbit Systems.
Elbit Systems produces the drones which have been weaponised against the Palestinian population of Gaza, where more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, 2023.
In May the college council of the University of Cambridge's wealthiest constituent college voted to divest from all arms companies.
Sine the summer accusations of war crimes in Gaza have multiplied. In October, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported: “Israel has perpetrated a concerted policy to destroy Gaza’s healthcare system as part of a broader assault on Gaza, committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities.”
Trinity College has yet to confirm or deny whether it has discontinued investing in arms companies including Elbit Systems.
This resulted in an ‘emergency rally’ outside the college on Sunday.
Around 200 protesters joined in chants denouncing the investment and displayed banners referring to the controversial Balfour Declaration of 1917, which was written on 2 November, 1917 by Arthur James Balfour, then Britain’s foreign secretary, and sent to Lord Lionel Walter de Rothschild, the head of Britain's Jewish community.
The Declaration stated the British government’s support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Around 700,000 Palestinians were evicted or fled to facilitate the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.
Lord Balfour was educated at Eton and Trinity College. In March 2024 a painting of the former prime minister was vandalised.
On Sunday, watched by college porters, speakers told of Trinity’s investment in Elbit Systems.
“Shame,” replied the crowd of around 150 students gathered on Trinity Street.
“It is worse than shame, it’s despicable,” the speaker said.
The speaker told students gathered: “You have that power to make these institutions change.”
Trinity College was approached for comment.
