Published in Print Edition 759
ON the 3rd July, The Exeter Liberation Encampment for Palestine (ELE4PAL) announced its decision to vacate the encampment site on Exeter University campus after a 50 day period of sustained protest and negotiation.
The ELE4PAL camp was formed on 14th May, consisting of tents erected on the green opposite the Queens Building along with banners displaying slogans such as “Divest from Deadly Research”, “Boycott Tel Aviv Uni” and “The People Stand with Palestine”. This followed on from the establishment of Palestine Liberation encampments on university campuses around the world formed in response to extreme violence inflicted by Israeli ground and air strikes in Gaza and the West Bank. The exact number of those killed is not known but is estimated by Gaza’s Health Ministry to stand at over 40,000 as of 15th August 2024. Beginning with UCLA and Columbia in April 2024, this wave of student protest was formed in response to accusations that universities are currently divesting funds towards institutions the encampments labelled complicit in genocide and colonialism. In the UK, encampments were formed across 35 universities, often to heavy criticism. The University had previously responded to ELE4PAL’s protest at a University open day by asking students to leave the encampment “as soon as possible”, a month before the encampment was eventually vacated.
The exact number of those killed is not known but is estimated by Gaza’s Health Ministry to stand at over 40,000 as of 15th August 2024
ELE4PAL issued a series of demands calling on the university to boycott Israeli universities and research partnership programs, support Palestinian education through scholarships, establish partnerships with Palestinian universities and safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech for those supporting Palestine.
The ELE4PAL instagram account posted their exit statement announcing that the physical encampment would close. ELE4PAL stressed within the post that “while the physical encampment closes, it does not signify the cessation of our protest activities, in the name of over 1000 students and staff, we shall continue our advocacy through all possible peaceful means until our demands are met in full.” They claimed there were three primary achievements from the period along with continued additional . The former included the administration publicly stating that the University of Exeter is not in any formal partnership with Tel Aviv University or any other Israeli institution and that a working group will be established to review Exeter University’s Investment Policy and General Fund, with the aim of creating a negative screen for investments in arms companies and increasing Treasury Transparency as well as the cessation of investment in the apartheid state. Also, a working group is going to be dedicated to supporting Palestinian education, tasked with providing multiple scholarships per faculty for Palestinian students and supporting the reconstruction of the education sector in the Gaza Strip and West Bank through partnerships and joint programmes. The list of demands on their post included the University of Exeter to fully cut ties with research partners involved in arms exports to Israel and for the University to take the safeguarding of Palestinian academic freedom and freedom of speech seriously, including by consulting their own experts in the European Centre for Palestine Studies on communications and decisions related to Palestine.
While the physical encampment closes, it does not signify the cessation of our protest activities
Within the post, ELE4PAL extended their gratitude to the wider community for their support throughout the encampment. They also accredited their success to the generous contributions of food, shelter and supplies from a number of suppliers.
ELE4PAL closed their exit statement with the promise that they will “remain resolute” in continuing their protest against the University and their “complicity in the ongoing genocide.” Additionally, they emphasise that the ending of the physical encampment is only acting as an interim while they reassess and reflect, with the aim of returning in the Autumn and instigating renewed action once the academic year begins.
When approached about the exit statement and future of the encampment, a spokesperson for the Friends of Palestine Society commented “As we embark on a new academic year at the University of Exeter, we must recognise how access to an education is a privilege. This is a luxury not afforded to students in Gaza, and during the Israeli authorities’ ongoing scholasticide, surviving Palestinian students have no universities to return to.
“The recent divestment victories of other encampments, such as Trinity and Swansea, demonstrate that industry-wide change is both possible and necessary. Where university administrations have not yet committed to divestment, students have achieved other demands, such as their university’s commitment to disclose their investment portfolios or to support Palestinian students in their education. Likewise, ELE4PAL has won concessions by establishing working groups which will review the University’s Investment Policy and General Fund, as well as supporting Palestinian education via scholarships and supporting the reconstruction of the education sector in Gaza and the West Bank.
“The encampment’s success emphasises how we must remain steadfast in the united struggle for Palestinian liberation. We urge new and returning students to join us in the next stages of our movement. Amidst a new peak of settler-colonial violence, it is only through our persistent and collective effort that we will create meaningful change.”
The Israel and Zionist society declined to comment.
A university spokesperson stated “We remain deeply concerned and distressed by the violence in Israel, Palestine and the Middle East. We are unambiguous in our support for all colleagues and students at this time, including our commitment to protecting the right to debate openly and freely. The University is committed to the protection of freedom of speech and academic freedom, alongside our duty of care to our community. We respect the right to protest, providing such protests are carried out safely, respectfully and within the law. Representatives of the University and the Students’ Guild met with the protestors regularly to ensure their welfare and listen to their concerns. We also maintained regular dialogue with students to consider their concerns, prior to the encampment voluntarily standing down.”
