Curtin University students suspend Palestine camp and promise to start again next semester

Curtin University students who set up a Palestinian solidarity camp outside Vice-Chancellor Harlene Haynes’ office on May 1 have decided to dismantle the camp on May 30.

Curtin University’s Students for Palestine (S4P) has voted to disband its camp after the Student Union withdrew its support following a protest occupation of the Engineering Pavilion by 150 people on May 22.

The students called on the university to cut its ties with defense companies such as Lockheed Martin, Huntington Ingalls, BAE Systems and Babcock Australasia.

The occupation was the culmination of several protests calling on university administration, particularly Haynes, to meet with students to discuss their demands for disclosure and divestment from companies that support Israel, as well as from all Israeli companies and universities.

Curtin students, like students around the world protesting against their university leaders, want the university to condemn the genocide in Israel, in which more than 40,000 people have been killed since October 2023.

After the occupation, the student council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the university administration.

It does not even come close to meeting the demands of the camp, which included Guild members. It does not require Curtin to divest or sever its research relationships with companies that were involved in the genocide.

The university has only offered to publish a list of organizations annually, without providing details about the nature of the ties or the amount of money flowing.

Furthermore, the MoU does not mention “genocide” at all. Nor does it recognize the interim injunction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which found a plausible risk of genocide.

Instead, the “both sides” argument is used, giving the university “ethical” backing to continue doing business with companies that promote genocide.

The S4P camp rejected the MoU and initially promised to continue until its demands were met.

S4P has received support from the public and organisations such as Friends of Palestine WA, Unionists for Palestine and Jews for a Free Palestine WA.

However, S4P decided to end the camp as the first semester ends in June. However, it announced that it would continue its campaign to force the university to disclose, divest and sever all ties with Israel in the second semester.

The final speech will take place on 29 May at 4pm at Curtin University’s Koi Pond in front of the Robertson Library.