The referendum, introduced by the pro-Palestinian Sumud Coalition, passed with strong margins.

It posed three central questions. The first two asked whether Yale should disclose and divest from its holdings in military weapons manufacturers, “including those arming Israel,” while the third asked whether Yale should “act on its commitment to education by investing in Palestinian scholars and students.”

The results revealed that 83.1 percent of students voted in favor of divesting from arms manufacturers, 76.6 percent endorsed divesting from other military contractors, and 79.5 percent supported investing in Palestinian academic initiatives.

The referendum met the Yale College Council’s (YCC) participation threshold, with over a third of the student body casting votes on all three questions. A total of 3,338 students—representing 49.5 percent of the student body—voted, surpassing previous referendums in turnout.

Students at Yale University have passed a resolution calling on the university's administration to divest from Israeli and pro-Israeli companies involved in the weapons production and arms embargo to Israel.

83.1% of students voted in favor of divesting from weapons… pic.twitter.com/TBIPKiJUZB

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 9, 2024

Yale College Council President Mimi Papathanasopolous and Vice President Esha Garg announced plans to send a formal letter to University President Maurie McInnis by Wednesday, urging the administration to act on the referendum’s outcome.

Han Pimental-Hayes, an organizer with Sumud, remarked, “University leaders have long attempted to marginalize pro-Palestinian and pro-divestment students. The outcome of this referendum proves that the movement for a free Palestine and a more ethically aligned endowment has broad and overwhelming support.”