Sydney University doubles down with ‘revised’ Palestine protest offer

The University of Sydney has issued a “revised” offer to the pro-Palestine encampment on its main campus, but it has refused to back down on one key point.

The University of Sydney has issued a “revised” offer to the pro-Palestine encampment promising to disclose its defence research ties, but have refused to cut relations with Israeli institutions

In a letter to staff and students on Wednesday morning, Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott doubled down on the university’s offer to the Quad lawn encampment, but assured any demand to end student exchanges with Israel and relationships with Israeli institutions would not be met.

“The University will … continue to support the right of our academics and students to do research, partner with industry and collaborate with people from around the world,” Professor Scott wrote.

The all-staff email confirmed the university has “agreed to disclose our defence and security related research activities and our investment in these industries”.

A three-page “revised” offer submitted to representatives of the University of Sydney Gaza Solidarity encampment on Tuesday afternoon also reveals the disclosures will take place “progressively” from July — subject to confidentiality, privacy and national security obligations.

The pro-Palestinian camp at University of Sydney on May 20. Picture: Richard Dobson

The offer makes no guarantee of divestment — a demand the encampment has made from day one — but does welcome the protesters to contribute to a “working group” on the matter that will report back to the University Senate to make the final call.

It also broadens the disclosure and subsequent review to all organisations in the defence business, rather than those directly or indirectly involved in the war in Gaza. Israel is not mentioned by name anywhere in the proposal.

Posters staked around the campsite outline the encampment’s demands – including cutting ties with universities in Israel.

The posters also contain the camp rules.

The encampment is yet to formally decide on their response to the proposal, but organiser and SRC president Harrison Brennan said the “general consensus” is that it’s a “pretty terrible” offer.

The pro-Palestine coalition of student activists is prepared to fight for disclosure regardless of what the university volunteers, submitting freedom of information requests and enlisting lawyers to the battle.

“The revisions to disclosure are good, but … disclosure is just a necessary first step towards any deal,” he said.

“Management continues to engage with us and our proposal uncharitably … they’re refusing to implement any of our core demands in any capacity.”

Harrison Brennan, president of the Student Representative Council and Gaza camp spokesman. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Mr Brennan said even if the proposed “working group” recommended divestments, he has little faith in “the corporate types” in the university’s Senate to act on those recommendations.

A more vaguely-worded deal offered to the encampment last week was swiftly declined by the protesters, who are now in their seventh week occupying the campus with tents, gazebos and banners.

As the weeks wear on and winter sets in, the campsite itself has gone conspicuously silent. On Wednesday morning, three days into the university’s exam period, very few of the dozens of tents pitched on the lawns were occupied – although the few visible tenants insisted the protest is still ‘going strong’.

The University of Sydney’s Gaza solidarity camp is one of the last standing across the country, along with an encampment at ANU in Canberra which was forced to relocate after being ordered by the university to move on.

University of Melbourne activists packed up their encampment and “occupation” of an Arts building two weeks ago, while the University of Queensland reached a disclosure agreement with protesters last Saturday.

In Western Australia, Curtin University activists also decamped last week.