And for the thousands of protesters across the country their reasons for demonstrating vary. This is for the people of palestine and were going to an agreement that is best that shows them we have not given up. I shows them we have not given u. ~ shows them we have not given u. ~ � , shows them we have not given up. I think its important that students and up. I think its important that students and everyone up. I think its important that students and everyone know| up. I think its important that students and everyone know that the Jewish Community is not were the Jewish Community is not were not the Jewish Community is not were not going to give into anti semitism. Were not going to give into antisemitism. Were not going to give into antisemitism. Especially as a jewish student antisemitism. Especially as a jewish student with antisemitism. Especially as a jewish student with membersl antisemitism. Especially as a i jewish student with members of my family jewish student with members of my family who jewish student with members of my family who died jewish student with members of my family who died in jewish student with members of my family who died in the my family who died in the holocaust, my family who died in the holocaust, i my family who died in the holocaust, i want my family who died in the holocaust, i want to my family who died in the holocaust, i want to do i holocaust, i want to do everything holocaust, i want to do everything they holocaust, i want to do everything they can holocaust, i want to do everything they can toi holocaust, i want to do everything they can to protest against everything they can to protest against this everything they can to protest against this genocide everything they can to protest against this genocide that everything they can to protest against this genocide that is l against this genocide that is happening against this genocide that is happening against against this genocide that is happening against palestinians. We are happening against palestinians. We are ail happening against palestinians. We are all here happening against palestinians. We are all here as happening against palestinians. We are all here as intelligent i we are all here as intelligent people who have autonomy and we have a lot of privilege to stand up and do what we love and stand up and protect the community we think deserves rejection. Community we think deserves reection. ,. , rejection. Even though a graduate rejection. Even though a graduate in rejection. Even though a graduate in a rejection. Even though a graduate in a week, rejection. Even though a graduate in a week, i. Rejection. Even though a i graduate in a week, i dont think graduate in a week, i dont think this graduate in a week, i dont think this is going to end for me as think this is going to end for me as a think this is going to end for me as a story. They dont want it to me as a story. They dont want it to end me as a story. They dont want it to end for me as a story. They dont want it to end for me as a story. This it to end for me as a story. This is it to end for me as a story. This is an it to end for me as a story. This is an intergenerational movement this is an intergenerational movement and this is an intergenerational movement and that this is an intergenerational movement and that is this is an intergenerational movement and that is part| this is an intergenerational. Movement and that is part of the reason movement and that is part of the reason why movement and that is part of the reason why i movement and that is part of the reason why i think movement and that is part of the reason why i think it movement and that is part of the reason why i think it is. The reason why i think it is time the reason why i think it is time to the reason why i think it is time to listen. The reason why i think it is time to listen. I the reason why i think it is time to listen. I think the reason why i think it is time to listen. I think is. The reason why i think it is. Time to listen. I think is only a matter time to listen. I think is only A Matter Of Time to listen. I think is only A Matter Of Time time to listen. I think is only A Matter Of Time until time to listen. I think is only A Matter Of Time until they. A matter of time until they have A Matter Of Time until they have t0~ A Matter Of Time until they have t0~ i A Matter Of Time until they have to. Ithink A Matter Of Time until they have to. I think the A Matter Of Time until they have to. I think the time. A matter of time until theyj have to. I think the time is now a Central Demand among demonstrators is for universities to divest from israel because of the war in gaza. Cornells law school describes divestment as the process through which an organisation sells off its shares, assets or other investments for political, ethical or financial reasons. Other demands include universities stopping business with Military Weapons Manufacturers that supply arms to israel, not accepting Research Money from israel that helps the countrys military efforts, and more transparency over what Money Universities receives from israel and what its used for. One of those pro palestinian protests is happening right here in dc at George Washington university. Unlike what weve seen in other cities across the us, police In Washington have so far declined to break up that encampment. Conservative House Lawmakers have visited the protest, and threatened to hold a House Hearing over it. With me is moataz salim, a graduate student at George Washington university and a palestinian american student activist. Moataz, thank you Forjoining Us in our studios. We talk to you earlier on these protests. Tell us, bestival, you still remain processing in this encampment. Festival. Tell us was it has been like with university and police, because they have not cleared this encampment. They have not cleared this encampment. They have not cleared this encamment. ,. , encampment. We are on day nine toda , i encampment. We are on day nine today. I have encampment. We are on day nine today, i have been encampment. We are on day nine today, i have been there encampment. We are on day nine today, i have been there from today, i have been there from day one. In terms of the relationship with the university and the police, i mean, the students, so ijust want to clarify, i am just a grad student at gw, i am in the encampmentjust in solidarity, encampment just in solidarity, but encampmentjust in solidarity, but the Student Demands are to divest from any sort of funds that go to companies that are aiding the genocide, and a lot of it is to protect pro palestine students and black and brown students and the organisers. And brown students and the organisers. Organisers. What has the universitys organisers. What has the universitys response organisers. What has the universitys response been organisers. What has the i universitys response been to that . I universitys response been to that . ,. , that . I say those things to ust that . I say those things to just make that . I say those things to just make it that . I say those things to just make it clear that . I say those things to just make it clear those i that . I say those things to i just make it clear those other demands on the university has so far responded in a mostly negative way. They, like you said, they called in the mpd to arrest us the first night and the mpd declined. Since then we have had seven students that were suspended, that were initially part of the encampment. We also had some intimidation, some threats from the gw police, which continue to surveillance every day and l, to surveillance every day and i, as far as i to surveillance every day and i, as faras i know, negotiations have begun with University Admen but all we know is they have begun. Can ou tell know is they have begun. Can you tell us know is they have begun. Can you tell us what know is they have begun. Can you tell us what things are like in the Cameron Wright now, how determined are you and your fellow protesters to stay there . I fellow protesters to stay there . ~ , there . I think very determined. The mood there . I think very determined. The mood is there . I think very determined. The mood is quite there . I think very determined. The mood is quite good. The mood is quite good. Honestly, morale is high. We have been very peaceful, have had no arrest whatsoever. I think everyone there is committed wholeheartedly and unwaveringly for palestinian the, especially after seven months of genocide that they have witnessed. So everyone that there is really, really Holding Strong and it is actually we are growing in numbers for Community Members. They have was, this process is very personal to you. Tell us more about that. My very personal to you. Tell us more about that. Very personal to you. Tell us more about that. My father is from gaza. More about that. My father is from gaza, so more about that. My father is from gaza, so i more about that. My father is from gaza, so i have more about that. My father is from gaza, so i have a more about that. My father is from gaza, so i have a lot more about that. My father is from gaza, so i have a lot of. From gaza, so i have a lot of family who are still there, cousins, aunts, uncles. So far 161 of them have been killed by the Israeli Regime and so, yeah, its very heavy, it is a very large number, i will admit i did not know all of them, palestinians tend to have pretty big families. But i did know a lot of them who died, some of them i was very close to. So i think you dont need to. So i think you dont need to have Family Members to really feel it, but i have filtered extra hard because to me these were real human beings who had day to day activities, day to day lives and had already been under siege and under occupation by the israeli state under siege for over 15 years, under occupation for over 75, and now they are gone and i cant ever see them again. And i cant ever see them aaain. And i cant ever see them atain. , and i cant ever see them aaain. ,. ,. , again. So sorry for the loss of our again. So sorry for the loss of your family again. So sorry for the loss of your Family Members. Again. So sorry for the loss of your Family Members. I again. So sorry for the loss of your Family Members. I think| yourFamily Members. I think there are many people in the process and encampments across the country who share similar stories. Just want to ask you one more question about how you see some of the disagreements that have come out of these protests between some students who say they feel harassed or threatened on campus, between those who say they are exercising their right to free speech, how do you see that playing out at gw . I speech, how do you see that playing out at gw . Playing out at gw . I will say what is that playing out at gw . I will say what is that the playing out at gw . I will say what is that the last playing out at gw . I will say what is that the last time, i playing out at gw . I will sayj what is that the last time, is i would content with the feeling of unsafe, i would understand a little more having discomfort, because, you know, the Israeli Regime uses its propaganda to sort of co opt the jewish faith as a propaganda to sort of co opt thejewish faith as a central part of its identity, but from what i understand everything it is doing in gaza it has been doing for seven months now and is occupation go against the central tenant about giving servers, providing services to the world and love for all. Those things go against what the Israeli Regime is doing and thats what i understand the jewish faith be centred in and i would also say if people want to come in and actually talk to as they would understand there is really nothing like whatsoever against the jewish faith, it isjust whatsoever against the jewish faith, it is just a lot of people who have seen the settler colonialism, this Apartheid System for a long, long time and above that seven months of genocide and they just want a free palestine and palestine were palestinians can have justice, freedom, palestine were palestinians can havejustice, freedom, dignity. Have justice, freedom, dignity. Moataz, havejustice, freedom, dignity. Moataz, we have to live the conversation there. But thank you for coming in full for having me. As we mentioned, these protests started at Columbia University in new york. Earlier this week, police in riot gear cleared out the encampment there and cleared protesters from a university hall. The Department Of Education is now investigating the university about allegations of discriminatory treatment of palestinian students. The university is also facing criticism for its handling of allegations of anti semitism on campus before and during these protests. Columbias president minouche shafik, was called to testify before congress about those accusations one day after the House Of Representatives passed the antisemitism awareness act on tuesday. Joining me now to discuss is maya platek, the Student Body President Elect of the Columbia School of general studies, who has also been outspoken about the need to ensure all students, including jewish students, are safe and can access campus. Maya, thank you Forjoining Us. Columbias encampment has been cleared. Tensions are high. What are things like on campus now . ,. , what are things like on campus now . , , now . Currently campus is effectively now . Currently campus is effectively shut now . Currently campus is effectively shut down. Now . Currently campus is | effectively shut down. This now . Currently campus is i effectively shut down. This is affecting every single student on campus, even barring some students from their ability to eat, study, and learn effectively, but the fact that students are spending thousands of dollars on these resources. This is not a long Term Solution and or should it ever be normalised. Columbia should find a way to bring back students during this divisive period to ensure the shutdown can never happen again. I thrill can never happen again. I will talk to you can never happen again. I will talk to you about can never happen again. I will talk to you about the talk to you about the communication with columbia in a moment, you have talked about not feeling yourself particularly comfortable on campus in recent weeks. Do you feel safe on campus now . Im feel safe on campus now . Im unable to feel safe on campus now . Im unable to attend feel safe on campus now . In unable to attend campus. Campus is effectively under lock down. Its really unfortunate that it got to this stage and im really disappointed that this is the current state. I would say that manyjewish students returned home even before the final shutdown of campus in the last week of classes. Even though there have been many instances of physical assault and intimidation over the last six months, the last few weeks this has been an especially heightened escalation. Can i ask you. Heightened escalation. Can i ask you. Maya. Heightened escalation. Can i ask you, maya, but heightened escalation. Can i ask you, maya, but what heightened escalation. Can i ask you, maya, but what we j ask you, maya, but what we heard from our previous guest who has said that for pro Palestinian Protesters they believe, some of them at least, that it believe, some of them at least, thatitis believe, some of them at least, that it is not a question of safety forjewish students but rather a question of some jewish students perhaps feeling uncomfortable with their message. What did you make of that . I message. What did you make of that . , message. What did you make of that . ,. ,. , that . I really fundamentally disagree that . I really fundamentally disagree l that . I really fundamentally disagree. I think that . I really fundamentally disagree. I think there that . I really fundamentally disagree. I think there have| disagree. I think there have been at least at columbia many instances of physical and verbal assault on campus, very much documented and many students have repeatedly rung the ballot this specific and is very much clearly anti semitic indiscriminate story and completely unacceptable. Moreover, i think every student has to be able to feel safe on campus and colombia has to do something to make sure every single student feel safe. I single student feel safe. I should make it clear speaking from Columbia University any student with 02 previously was part of the endowment at gw here In Washington, dc, different circumstances, to we have said colombia must pursue communication and dialogue and the future, Going Forward with these types of incidents. What you think should look like . Absolutely. I think colombia has to find a solution that encourages dialogue across campus. Columbia has an opportunity to click a Restart Button here, going into the new academic year, and there is genuine interest on campus for dialogue and i would say that my election actually proves it as they ran on a campaign of