Columbia University's Investments
Our petition demands that Columbia University "divest from all companies that manufacture arms and other military hardware sold to Israel, as well as from companies that sell such arms and military hardware to Israel."
Our petition is different from other university petitions (Harvard-MIT, Princeton, University of California, etc.) in that it calls not for general divestment but rather for a targeted, military-oriented divestment.
We specifically demand that Columbia University divest from its portfolio
holdings in the following companies:
Columbia University Domestic Manager Holdings (As of October 14, 2002):
Boeing: Columbia's Investment: $2,358,000
Maker of Apache helicopters
General Electric: Columbia's Investment: $3,869,460
Maker of T700-GE-701 engines for Apache helicopters
Apache helicopters are regularly used by the Israeli military in carrying
out extra-judicial killings. Such assassinations violate international law
and have led to the deaths of countless Palestinian civilians who happen to
be in the vicinity of the person targeted by the Israeli attack.
Caterpillar: Columbia's Investment: $1,306,965
Maker of D9 Bulldozers
Caterpillar D9 bulldozers are being used to widen streets so that tanks can
enter and re-occupy areas of the West Bank and Gaza; to demolish homes, often
with residents still inside; and to raze entire neighborhoods. Bulldozers
have been used to demolish the homes of family members of suicide-bombers,
an act of collective punishment that violates international law.
Lockheed Martin Corp: Columbia's Investments: $583,800
Maker of F-15 and F-16 Fighter Jets
We further demand a detailed review of Columbia University's portfolio holdings
to determine if other companies whose equities are owned by the university
are also manufacturers or sellers of arms and military hardware to Israel.