Many students at Mount Holyoke’s 187th Commencement ceremony last May used the event as an opportunity to show support for Palestine amid the Israeli military’s ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The bulk of the demonstrations were organized by I-Change for Palestine, a group of pro-Palestine student activists at Mount Holyoke. Advocating for Mount Holyoke’s divestment from Israel is currently one of their main goals.
Since the Israeli state declared war on Hamas militants in October, universities around the world have seen their fair share of student-led organizing in support of Palestine.
Mount Holyoke College is now one of these institutions after a chapter of the international movement Students for Justice in Palestine began meeting early in November. The group led a rally, march, vigil and sit-in for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Nov. 9, with several students occupying Mary Lyon Hall overnight.
