Feature: Columbia University encampment holds on as negotiation in progress

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration as police officers stand guard outside Columbia University in New York, the United States, on April 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

The Columbia University encampment against Israeli military action in Gaza continues to be the focus of attention, as the negotiation between students and the university administration yielded some progress.

NEW YORK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Columbia University encampment against Israeli military action in Gaza continues to be the focus of attention since it started on April 17 as the negotiation between students and the university administration yielded some progress.

Continuing as planned, the talks have shown progress, said an update by Columbia University on Friday afternoon.

Barnard College with Columbia University has reached a resolution with "nearly all students" who were placed on interim suspension for their alleged participation in the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on April 17 and 18, according to a report by Columbia Daily Spectator later Friday.

"We are pleased to have reached these resolutions and are actively working to complete this process with the remaining students so that they can fully return to campus life," a spokesman for Barnard College said.

Still, amnesty is just one of the three demands the students asked for from Columbia University. The talks on divestment from corporations profiting from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine is in an impasse.

"I can't say we've made great progress, but we've made progress in describing what the implications of our demands are and conveying what exactly we wish for the university to do," said Sueda Polat, a member of the students' negotiating team.

"What we can say right now is that we're continuing to negotiate, and we were in the room for over 11 to 12 hours yesterday," she added.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), California, the United States, on April 25, 2024. (Xinhua)

Polat expressed her confidence and determination to stick to their demand and get things done as preparatory work is underway for commencement on the campus.

"The movement doesn't end whether or not the semester ends. We still have three weeks at least to the commencement, which we hope families and students will be able to celebrate. We believe we have time on our side as well as the power of the students," Polat told Xinhua on Friday.

However, there is a possibility that the National Guard could be brought in to sweep the camp in Columbia University.

The encampment on the West Lawn of Columbia University's Morningside Campus had around 100 tents or tarps with over ten faculty members working as volunteers at the gate of the encampment on Friday afternoon.

"We've demonstrated that this is a peaceful protest that falls within the guidelines of what free speech guarantees to us," said Polat, adding that there are community guidelines at the entrance of the encampment, which encourages open dialogue and communication with people, regardless of any faith background and ideology.

Though efforts have been made in response to criticism of inflammatory rhetoric, students in support of the encampment feel the threat of counter-protesters.

"It's terrifying that the neo-Nazis are lurking. There's also a coordinated doxing effort where like undergraduates are being harassed," said Jonathan Ben-Menachem, a Ph.D candidate in the Sociology Department at Columbia University.

Ben-Menachem noted the presence of neo-Nazis and white supremacists on the campus, referring to online videos showing pro-Israeli protesters climbing up campus gates.

White supremacists and Christian nationalists have been invigorated by encampment, according to Ben-Menachem.

Moreover, the encampment continued to pop up on other university campuses as the movement resonates among young Americans, who are frustrated with the Biden administration's policies on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Hundreds of students at New York University set up a new encampment on Friday evening after the first one was cleared earlier this week while students from Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, Northeastern University, Northwestern University and others also joined the movement.