Protests over the war in Gaza at Harvard University reportedly reached a peaceful end. Harvard and pro-Palestinian student protesters came to an agreement on Tuesday, May 14, to end the weekslong pro-Palestinian encampment.
Harvard officials said that they agreed to discuss student questions about the school’s financial connections to Israeli organizations. Protesters said Harvard agreed to let students set the agenda for the meeting to discuss disclosure, divestment and reinvestment, and to consider the creation of a center for Palestinian studies.
Harvard’s interim president said the agenda will be set by students but that no concessions have been agreed upon yet.
The student coalition also claimed that Harvard is “backing down on disciplinary measures” for more than 60 students and student workers connected to the protests, including by offering leniency and retracted suspensions.
Harvard’s interim president said suspensions and punishments are up to each individual school and that no deal has been reached yet. However, the university did say it will quickly process petitions for reinstatement for suspended students.
The outcome followed similar moves by other universities. Brown and Northwestern agreed to meetings between trustees and students to discuss “divestment” and scholarships for Palestinian students. Meanwhile, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee agreed to issue a call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Students at many colleges and universities across the United States set up similar encampments to demand their schools cut ties with Israel and businesses connected to the country.
Some students did criticize Harvard’s compromise. One Jewish student said the university “capitulated to protesters.”
However, Harvard officials disagreed. They said the university did not cave but instead opened a dialogue about demands, and that the school had not committed to any action yet.
