Prestigious college capitulates, votes to divest from Israeli companies

King’s Cam for Palestine welcomed the decision, calling it a result of “sustained pressure” from their coalition.

By Jewish Breaking News

After months of demonstrations against the war in Gaza, King’s College Cambridge voted in favor this week to divest from companies producing military equipment for Israel.

In an email obtained by the Telegraph newspaper, Provost Dr. Gillian Tett informed faculty and students on Tuesday that King’s would sever financial ties with defense firms linked to Israel involved in activities “generally recognized as illegal or contravening global norms, such as occupation” in order to “align our approach to investments with the values of our community.”

According to an investigation by student newspaper Varsity, King’s had accumulated indirect investments worth £2.2 million across more than 50 arms-related companies, growing by £700,000 over five years.

College officials aim to complete divestment “by no later than the end of the calendar year,” but declined to specify which companies were being targeted.

King’s Cam for Palestine welcomed the decision, calling it a result of “sustained pressure” from their coalition.

Shortly after Hamas’ massacre against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign organized an illegal 100-day encampment on college grounds.

Protesters staged disruptive actions including a “die-in” demonstration and disruption of campus events they accused of platforming “Zionists and military affiliates.”Cambridge has struggled to maintain order ever since.

Though pledging in July 2024 to fund opportunities for “Palestinian academics” and establish a working group to review investments, students resumed protests in November when they accused administrators of “stalling.”

By February 2025, university officials secured a High Court injunction banning protests from key campus areas until July, after anyi-Israel demonstrations had disrupted graduation ceremonies for more than 1,600 students.

Known for its progressive politics dating back to its 1441 founding by King Henry VI to educate scholars from disadvantaged backgrounds, King’s manages a £300 million endowment fund.

The university’s decision mirrors similar moves by nine British local authorities that have withdrawn pension investments from defense companies linked to Israel.

Trinity College, Cambridge’s wealthiest college, reportedly voted last year to divest from arms companies but has not publicly confirmed this action.