On 4 April, protesters from Cambridge for Palestine (C4P) gathered in Market Square, in opposition to legislation recently passed by Israel that would make the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of acts of terrorism in military courts.

The demonstration called on attendees to “stand against the execution law,” referring to the bill passed by the Israeli Knesset on 30 March.

Protesters described the law as a significant escalation, with one attendee stating that it “mandates death by hanging […] but only for Palestinians”.

Demonstrators held placards reading “Death sentence only for Palestinians is apartheid”; “End the occupation” and; “Israel to execute Palestinian hostage is state-sanctioned murder”. There were also signs calling for the release of named prisoners, including Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza strip who was detained by the Israeli military in 2024, and Marwan Barghouti, a political leader who has been imprisoned since 2002 on charges of supporting terrorist activity.

One student attendee told Varsity: “demonstrations are becoming increasingly important as more people appear to be becoming apathetic to the situation in Palestine. This law is a blatant attempt by the leadership to target Palestinian prisoners who have a 99.74% conviction rate in Israeli military courts.”

According to the BBC, the conviction rate for Palestinians formally tried in Israel’s military courts is “roughly 99%”.

The student continued: “To not call Israel an apartheid state is to be blinded to the reality of the two-tiered system of justice being openly paraded and celebrated.” 

Organisers advertised a petition at the event, which calls on the Israeli government to stop the law “calling for execution of Palestinian prisoners,” and calls on the UK government to “act urgently” and debate the law in parliament. Organisers also stated that they are attempting to contact Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner to urge him to take a public stance on the issue.

At the rally, C4P members raised concerns about the University’s institutional links to the conflict in Gaza, pointing to research collaborations, corporate partnerships, and investment relationships they allege are connected to ongoing violence.

Asked about the University’s stance on the conflict, a C4P spokesperson told Varsity: “not taking a side is taking a side.”

C4P referenced links between University research and companies involved in armed defence and aerospace. The group also criticised the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s partnerships with companies including Coca-Cola, AXA, and Anglo American through its Corporate Leaders Group.

In their campaign materials, C4P alleged that such partnerships allow firms “to present themselves as sustainable while continuing practices linked to environmental harm and extractive industries.” They stated that these collaborations risk conferring reputational legitimacy on companies allegedly associated with fossil fuel financing and resource extraction.

The University has previously commented on the ongoing violence in Gaza, stating that they were “deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in Gaza and Israel,” and are focused on “the well-being of our people”. They also stated that they aim to maintain space for “debate and discussion.”

The University of Cambridge was contacted for comment.