Protests at the University of Texas at Dallas continue as students fervently demand the school to divest from companies linked to Israel amid the conflict in Gaza. According to KENS5, tensions escalated to the point of several arrests on Wednesday. The core of the uproar derives from the revelation that the University of Texas System has stakes in seven corporations with ties to Israel, a portfolio piece estimated to be worth around $17.6 million.

The companies in question include major defense contractors such as Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies, with the university system's holdings in each reportedly totaling just over 1% of its $1.73 billion in total investments. Yet, severing these financial ties proves to be not so easily done; universities tend to not directly invest in individual stocks but rather in large bundles of businesses. Some student protesters vow to justly, and without hesitation, push forward, despite the complexity of this divestment process.

Universities across the nation are conflicted on how to address the increasing pressures for divestment. From Columbia University's stark threat of mass suspensions to the involvement of state troopers in Texas, the response has been varied and intense. Earlier this week, nearly 300 individuals were arrested at various schools, as stated by PBS. "We will not be moved by these intimidation tactics. You can see outside you now that the students are mobilized. There's hundreds of them here today." Columbia University student Sudea Polat told PBS.

Historically, divestment campaigns have been successful, most notably during the apartheid era in South Africa and more recently concerning fossil fuels. Students are ready to decisively stand up for their cause, refusing to shy away from potential conflict with university authorities. Whether their demands will eventually lead to actual divestment remains a matter of burgeoning speculation and heated debate.