University of Hawaii at Manoa students gathered at the John Wise field Friday afternoon, where the Students and Faculty for Justice in Palestine (SFJP) campus group held a Day of Action campaign to urge the college to disclose, divest and break ties with Israeli-linked organizations.

There, more than 100 students sat on the lawn listening to speeches, poetry and lectures that recognized the lives lost in the Gaza Strip, raising awareness to the campaign similar to that which many other U.S. college students have begun to participate in at their own schools since mid-April.

“As UH students we feel a specific responsibility to keep the university accountable to what its relationship with Israel and Palestine is,” said UH Manoa graduate student and SFJP member Keoni Rodriguez. “There’s also sort of a larger component about what we think would be a way for all people to live peacefully and have greater well-being in that region.”

When Columbia University students began protesting in support of Palestinians on April 17, their efforts sparked a movement among college students across the nation who are calling for their universities to sever ties with Israeli-linked organizations. Since then more than 2,000 people have been arrested in campus protests nationwide. And while some campuses have declined to divest funds from Israeli-­linked organizations, others have agreed to consider the prospect.

SFJP’s campaign was held on the field from 1 until 6 p.m. Tents lining the perimeter of the crowd offered attendees various opportunities to show their support for Palestinians, one of which offered “Free Palestine” screen printings at no charge.

While SFJP has been a campus group for the past few years, most of its work has consisted of educational material. However, the group hopes that the Friday event will alert the campus community and university officials to their call for change, Rodriguez said.

While Rodriguez doesn’t expect change to happen overnight, he added that supporters of the cause are committed to see it through.

“It’s the money that funds our scholarships. It’s the money that funds our student programs, our student services,” Rodriguez said. “If that comes at the cost of people’s lives, we can’t sit back.”

Linsey Dower covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.