What's happened
Student protests against the Israeli war on Gaza lead to over 2,000 arrests at US universities, prompting Columbia University to cancel its commencement ceremony amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University face suspension after defying an order to dismantle their protest camp.
Why it matters
The cancellation of Columbia University's commencement ceremony and the student protests against the Israeli war on Gaza highlight the growing tensions and activism on college campuses in the US. The crackdown on protests and the subsequent suspensions demonstrate the impact of the conflict on academic institutions and students' rights to protest.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports on the student protests at Columbia University and other campuses, highlighting the calls for divestment from firms complicit in Israeli abuses. The Times of Israel and The Guardian cover the cancellation of Columbia's commencement ceremony and the shift to smaller celebrations amidst the protests. Sky News and The Independent focus on the defiance of pro-Palestinian students at Columbia facing suspension for refusing to dismantle their protest camp.
How we got here
The student protests at Columbia University and other campuses stem from the Israeli war on Gaza, with students advocating for divestment from companies linked to Israel. The demonstrations have led to clashes with authorities and the cancellation of events like the commencement ceremony at Columbia. The protests reflect a broader movement on college campuses in the US in support of Palestine and against Israeli actions in Gaza.
Common question
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Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan, Columbia is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth-oldest institution of hig
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs, are an ethnonational group comprising the modern descendants of the peoples who have lived in Palestine continuously over the centuries and who today are largely culturally and
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.