Student Palestinian protests in the US were preceded by months of preparation and support from experienced activists, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Campuses of prestigious American universities have become the epicenter of outrage over the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of many peaceful Palestinians, and the assistance Washington provides to its chief Middle Eastern ally. Protests intensified against the backdrop of the US’s approval of a new aid package to Israel.
While there is no centralized command controlling the Palestinian student movement, there are connections between longstanding far-left groups and protesters. It is reported that several months before the protests began, organizers at Columbia University consulted with groups such as the “National Students for Justice in Palestine” (NSJP) and veterans of student protests.
The publication emphasizes that the NSJP group has been urging students for months to actively oppose colleges that invest in businesses doing business with Israel until they divest from these investments. The group’s social media pages became a source of support for protesting students, the publication adds.
According to recent data, at least 167 people were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday at protests in support of Palestine held at several educational institutions in the US. On Tuesday alone, around 300 participants in student demonstrations were arrested in New York City.
