Pro-Palestinian Students Protest at Mexico's UNAM, Call for Cutting Ties with Israel

Dozens of pro-Palestinian students from Mexico's National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City staged a protest on Thursday, calling on the Mexican government to cut diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel. The students set up tents in front of UNAM's head office, mounting flags and chanting "Long live free Palestine." The demonstration was held in solidarity with similar protests that have swept colleges and universities across the United States in recent weeks.

Why this matters: The growing solidarity movement for the Palestinian cause on university campuses highlights the increasing pressure on governments to re-evaluate their relationships with Israel. The growing solidarity movement for the Palestinian cause on university campuses highlights the increasing pressure on governments to re-evaluate their relationships with Israel. The conflict's continued escalation could influence foreign policy decisions and contribute to a shift in the global response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Valentino Pino, a 19-year-old philosophy student participating in the protest, expressed the sentiment driving the demonstrators. "We are here to support Palestine, the people who are in Palestine, and the student camps in the United States," Pino stated. Jimena Rosas, a 21-year-old student, hoped that the protest at UNAM would have a domino effect, inspiring other universities in Mexico to follow suit. "Once people see that UNAM is beginning to mobilize, other universities should start as well," she said.

The pro-Palestinian demonstrations at UNAM mirror the wave of protests that have taken place at dozens of universities across the United States. At Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, students sang the US national anthem to a group of pro-Palestine protesters before their encampment was cleared out on Thursday, May 2. Footage showed protesters taking down their tents ahead of the university's 4 pm deadline, with police officers present at the scene.

Similar scenes unfolold at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where police forcibly removed a student encampment, resulting in arrests. These protests have drawn attention to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, which has escalated in recent months. The Gaza war, which began on October 7, has claimed the lives of around 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures. In Gaza, Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 34,500 people, primarily women and children, as reported by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

The pro-Palestinian student protests at UNAM and across the United States highlight the global impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the growing solidarity movement for the Palestinian cause. Conflict continues to claim lives on both sides, and the international community faces increasing pressure to find a peaceful resolution. The protests also raise important questions about the role of academic institutions in political activism and the extent to which students can influence foreign policy decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Pro-Palestinian students at Mexico's UNAM university protest, demanding Mexico cut ties with Israel.
• Similar protests have taken place at dozens of US universities, highlighting growing solidarity for Palestine.
• The protests aim to pressure governments to re-evaluate relationships with Israel amid escalating conflict.
• The Gaza war has claimed over 1,170 lives, mostly civilians, and 34,500 in Gaza, primarily women and children.
• The protests raise questions about academic institutions' role in activism and students' influence on foreign policy.