A UK university has ended investment in companies involved in Israeli arms trade following a fierce student-led BDS campaign.
The University of Leeds has ceased its dealings with Airbus, United Technologies and Keyence Corporation – all of which supply military equipment to Israel.
The university is currently reviewing its ties to HSBC, which provides loans to Elbit Systems, Caterpillar and BAE Systems, all of which carry out arms deals with Israel.
Leeds becomes 1st UK university to divest from firms involved in Israel's arms trade, following a BDS campaign by Palestine solidarity activists! The university divested over $1.2 million in 3 firms that trade military equipment w/Israel https://t.co/DQyAhMC0cl #MilitaryEmbargo pic.twitter.com/6B9eJFqshi
— BDS Movement (@BDSmovement) November 9, 2018
The campaign was pushed by hundreds of university students, alumni, and staff who signed an open letter to the university’s Vice-Chancellor after it emerged the university had invested £2.4 million [$3.1 million] in these companies this year.
The decision, which came on November 2, was applauded by the Leeds Palestine Solidarity Group, whose director Evie Russell-Cohen commended students’ efforts.
Russell-Cohen said:
“It’s clear that the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions is being heard in the UK. Students are no longer willing to see their tuition fees funding weapons companies which profit from the killing of Palestinians.”
The University of Leeds puts humanity before profit!#BDS https://t.co/eezrwENIdQ
— worldwatcher (@WorldisWatching) November 8, 2018
Russell-Cohen hopes that the move, which activists say is a first for a UK university, will be mirrored by other British universities.
“This is a massive success, but we hope that it will only be the beginning of a wave change across UK universities. Our education can no longer be at the expense of human life.”
Earlier this year, BDS campaigners at the University of Manchester scored a victory after getting Israel-linked Sabra Hummus pulled from the shelves on campus.
Big BDS news: The first UK university to divest from Israeli apartheid is Leedshttps://t.co/rz8ewNpMW7
— Remi Kanazi (@Remroum) November 6, 2018
In 2016, the university’s student union – which claims to be one of the largest student union bodies in the UK – adopted BDS motions.
They have since worked to expose the university’s ties with Israel-linked companies complicit in the occupation of Palestinian territories and violation of human rights.
(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
