Key facts
- The City University of New York (Cuny) invested over $715,000 in weapons manufacturers supplying the Israeli military.
- Companies include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Palantir, Elbit Systems, and General Dynamics.
- The investment records were obtained by pro-Palestine groups through a lawsuit after Cuny initially refused disclosure.
- Specific holdings include $212,407.10 in unsecured Boeing stocks and $189,348.48 in Palantir.
- Activists claim Cuny is complicit in the conflict in Gaza and are demanding divestment.
The City University of New York (Cuny) has invested over $715,000 in weapons manufacturers that supply the Israeli military, according to financial records obtained by pro-Palestine campaigners. The records, secured through a lawsuit after the university initially refused to disclose the information, reveal holdings in companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Palantir, Elbit Systems, and General Dynamics.
Cuny's investment portfolio includes specific amounts like $212,407.10 in unsecured Boeing stocks, $107,488.89 in Boeing common stock, $65,302.74 in Lockheed Martin stock, $141,201.34 in Raytheon, and $189,348.48 in Palantir. Activists from Cuny4Palestine and Cuny Law Students for Justice in Palestine stated that these investments make the university complicit in the ongoing conflict in Gaza and broader "imperialist violence."
The disclosures follow years of activism at Cuny, including encampments demanding divestment from defense contractors. The lawsuit, Sarah Southey v. City University of New York, was settled in mid-August, compelling Cuny to release investment records dating back to July 2023. Veronica Salama, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union, expressed dismay that a lawsuit was necessary for transparency. Activists intend to leverage this information to intensify efforts for divestment.
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