The encampment at Trinity College Dublin and blockade of the Book of Kells has come to an end after the university went to the negotiating table with the protestors and agreed to their demands, which includes divesting from Israeli companies.
A statement from the university confirmed that an agreement was reached at a meeting this afternoon, and that plans are being put in place to return to normal business.
The five-day protest over the war in Gaza demanded Trinity divest from investments in Israeli companies.
In its statement, Trinity management confirmed that it will “complete a divestment from investments in Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN Blacklist in this regard,” adding that this process is expected to be completed by June.
TCD said that it will endeavour to divest from investments in other Israeli companies, and that the issue will be considered by a taskforce.
One Israeli company on Trinity’s supplier list will remain until March 2025 for contractual reasons, the statement said.
Senior Dean Prof. Eoin O’Sullivan, who led the talks for Trinity, said: “We are glad that this agreement has been reached and are committed to further constructive engagement on the issues raised. We thank the students for their engagement.”
The planned taskforce will “address a number of issues,” among which will be a review of Trinity’s student exchanges with Israel.
Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union President, Lászlo Molnárfi welcomed the news, writing on X that “There are decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen.”
“5 days is all it took for @tcddublin to commit to fully divesting from Israel,” Mr Molnárfi wrote.
There are decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen. 5 days is all it took for @tcddublin to commit to fully divesting from Israel. A testament to grassroots student-staff power. https://t.co/EE77Z1JhPZ
— László Molnárfi (SU) (@TCDSU_President) May 8, 2024