Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Divesting from Israel Is Not Just Wrong but Stupid. Campus protestors are failing to grasp basic economic realities.
James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | May 22, 2024 | Richard K. Vedder

Posted on 05/25/2024 8:00:03 AM PDT by karpov

Clearly, the most newsworthy story in American collegiate life recently has been the widespread eruption of pro-Palestinian protests over the war between Israel and Hamas. A central demand of pro-Palestinian demonstrators has been that colleges divest themselves of investments in Israel, which presumably means not only Israeli-owned companies but also American firms doing business there.

This demand is inane on many levels, even if you accept (which I don’t) the premise that Israel’s determination to eliminate Hamas’s military capabilities is wrong.

First of all, many large American companies (McDonald’s and Coca Cola come to mind) do business in Israel, but that business is a minuscule part of the company. For example, McDonald’s has about 40,000 restaurants worldwide, most of them franchised operations with local owners (especially in its foreign operations). Looking through the company’s lengthy annual report, I could not even find information on precisely how many stores are in Israel. It is likely not many over 250, as Israel is a country with fewer than 10 million inhabitants. Let us assume that it is 250—a fraction of one percent of all McDonald’s stores, none of them actually owned by the company. Should major universities exclude McDonald’s, which has a market capitalization of nearly $200 billion, from their endowment stock portfolios because of a relatively minuscule Israeli involvement?

Probably, high-tech powerhouses like Microsoft or Apple have meaningful Israeli business dealings, maybe even direct investments given that country’s prowess in science and innovation. Would they therefore be ineligible for inclusion in university stock portfolios?

(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education
KEYWORDS: college; hamas; israel

1 posted on 05/25/2024 8:00:03 AM PDT by karpov
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: karpov

“Let us assume that it is 250”

Lazy writer! It took me 10 seconds to find out there are 228.


2 posted on 05/25/2024 8:06:55 AM PDT by TexasGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Divesting from Oil got them higher Tuition payments ,LOL


3 posted on 05/25/2024 8:21:59 AM PDT by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

(basic economic realities.)

Many of these same idiots are engineering their own demise by believing in “Global Warming” so, yeah, understanding basic economic realities has never been their strong suit.


4 posted on 05/25/2024 8:23:09 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Israeli patents are numerous and profitable.


5 posted on 05/25/2024 8:25:27 AM PDT by combat_boots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Also failing to grasp any semblance of reality.


6 posted on 05/25/2024 8:49:26 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

Maybe its time we start boycotting all of the Palestinians global consumer brands….. oh wait ….. nevermind


7 posted on 05/25/2024 9:15:57 AM PDT by MrRelevant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MrRelevant

https://www.brandedgirls.com/palestinian-brands-to-shop-to-support-palestine/

22 Palestinian Brands to Shop to Support Palestine


8 posted on 05/25/2024 9:19:44 AM PDT by TexasGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Libtards are evil. That’s the reason


9 posted on 05/25/2024 9:33:29 AM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

What do we have here

https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/32767


10 posted on 05/25/2024 1:41:55 PM PDT by combat_boots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson