Protesters demand University of New Hampshire divest from Israel-based companies

BUT THEY SAY THEY WANT THE MAIN FOCUS TO REMAIN ON THE ONGOING WAR IN GAZA. <IMGó4442.MOV FREE PALEESTINE> UNH STUDENTS - JOINING THE COLLEGE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TAKING TO THEIR CAMPUS TO CALL FOR AN END FOR THE WAR IN GAZA. <4451 - FREE PALESTINE CHANT> THE PROTESTERS SAY THEY WANT THE UNIVERSITY TO DIVEST ALL ITS INVESTMENTS CONNECTED TO ISRAEL. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SCHOOL SAYS ABOUT POINT- FIVE-PERCENT OF UNH'S 475-MILLION DOLLAR ENDOWMENT IS INVESTED IN ISRAELI- BASED COMPANIES. IN A STATEMENT - THEY WRITE IN-PART... THE ENDOWMENT IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE, NOT AN INSTRUMENT TO IMPEL SOCIAL OR POLITICAL CHANGE. GRADUATE STUDENT ASEENA AHSAN - ONE OF THE PROTEST'S LEAD ORGANIZERS - PUSHED BACK ON THE SCHOOL'S RESPONSE. <09;30;09;09 ADEENA AHSAN "IF FOSSIL FUELS CAN BE AN IMPORTANT ENOUGH ISSUE FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT, THEN WHY NOT THIS. THEY KEEP CALLING THIS A POLITICAL TOOL. THIS IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE."> <00;02;41;22 "EVERY SINGLE-CEASEFIRE HAS BEEN BROKEN BY HAMAS> BEFORE THE RALLY ONE MAN ON CAMPUS - CARRYING AN ISRAELI FLAG AND QUESTIONING THE PROTESTERS' STANCE ON THE WAR. <00;02;06;00 "I THINK IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT THEY HAVE NO RESPONSE FOR WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WHEN ONE SIDE BREAKS THE CEASEFIRE.> AHSAN - TELLING NEWS 9 HER GROUP RECOGNIZES THE ISSUE OF ANTISEMITISM GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY... AND SAYS THEIR MESSAGE IS ONLY ONE OF PEACE. <09;31;51;24 "WE HAVE ORGANIZERS WHO ARE JEWISH AND WE HAVE SO MUCH SUPPORT FROM OUR JEWISH COMRADES AND STAFF AND FACULTY."> TODAY'S PROTEST WRAPPED UP IN JUST ABOUT TWO HOURS - WE DID NOT SEE ANY POLICE NEARBY. THE UNIVERSITY TELLS US THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE PROTESTERS AND ARE WORKING TO MEET WITH THE

Demonstrators gathered Thursday evening at the University of New Hampshire to demand that the school divest any money its endowment has in Israeli companies that could be tied to the war in Gaza.Organizers said they are standing in solidarity with protesters at other schools, such as Columbia and Emerson College, where activists have been arrested in recent days. However, they emphasized that the primary focus is on the ongoing war in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.The war began late last year after Hamas launched an attack inside Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<The UNH protesters are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Locally, they are calling for leadership at UNH to divest from companies that support Israel. A spokesperson for UNH said about 0.5% of the school's $475 million endowment is currently invested in Israel-based companies. A statement from the school read in part, "As the tragic situation in Israel and Gaza continues to unfold, our hearts go out to the residents who have been affected by the ongoing violence in the region. While addressing the situation is important, we do not believe that divestment from Israeli companies is consistent with our mission or the purpose of an endowment."The school's statement noted the endowment's goal is supporting the school's mission of education, not "an instrument to impel social or political change." Adeena Ahsan, a UNH graduate student who helped organize the protest, told News 9 she believed the school should listen more closely to students when investing that money. "That's one thing we are directly tied to as we are students here at the university," Ahsan said. "These endowments are supposed to cover us, so we should have a right to tell the university that they should divest." UNH's spokesperson said the school has been in touch with protest organizers to discuss their concerns.

DURHAM, N.H. —

Demonstrators gathered Thursday evening at the University of New Hampshire to demand that the school divest any money its endowment has in Israeli companies that could be tied to the war in Gaza.

Organizers said they are standing in solidarity with protesters at other schools, such as Columbia and Emerson College, where activists have been arrested in recent days.

However, they emphasized that the primary focus is on the ongoing war in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The war began late last year after Hamas launched an attack inside Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages.

>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<

The UNH protesters are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Locally, they are calling for leadership at UNH to divest from companies that support Israel.

A spokesperson for UNH said about 0.5% of the school's $475 million endowment is currently invested in Israel-based companies.

A statement from the school read in part, "As the tragic situation in Israel and Gaza continues to unfold, our hearts go out to the residents who have been affected by the ongoing violence in the region. While addressing the situation is important, we do not believe that divestment from Israeli companies is consistent with our mission or the purpose of an endowment."

The school's statement noted the endowment's goal is supporting the school's mission of education, not "an instrument to impel social or political change."

Adeena Ahsan, a UNH graduate student who helped organize the protest, told News 9 she believed the school should listen more closely to students when investing that money.

"That's one thing we are directly tied to as we are students here at the university," Ahsan said. "These endowments are supposed to cover us, so we should have a right to tell the university that they should divest."

UNH's spokesperson said the school has been in touch with protest organizers to discuss their concerns.

Protesters demand University of New Hampshire divest from Israel-based companies

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