Divestment referendum fails to pass by slim margin
Daily Princetonian StaffThe divestment referendum did not pass, with 52.5 percent of students voting against divestment and 47.5 percent voting in favor of it. The referendum called on theUniversity to divest from companies“that maintain the infrastructure of the Israelioccupation of the West Bank, facilitate Israel’s and Egypt’s collective punishment of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, or facilitate state repression against Palestinians by Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian Authority security force.” Though 2,200 students participated in the election and voting process, only 2,032 students voted on the referendum. Princeton Committee on Palestine board member Katie Horvath ’15 explained that, although the movement for divestment had been significant, she was not surprised at the outcome of the referendum. “We knew from the outset that this was going to be an uphill battle, and we had done our research and looked at the previous divestment movements at Princeton,” Horvath said. She added that she was pleased to have lost by only 102 votes, because with more outreach and slightly increased support, the referendum would pass in a similar scenario.
