Tensions continued to rise at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, following a shooting incident involving three Palestinian college students who were visiting family in Vermont. Hisham Awartani, a 20-year-old junior at Brown University, was shot in the spine and may never regain movement in his legs, according to his family. Awartani and his friends, Kinnan Abdalhamid, a student at Haverford College, and Tahseen Ali Ahmad, who attends Trinity College, were walking near the University of Vermont campus when they were attacked. The shooting has highlighted the division on campus between students who support Israel and those who oppose its presence in the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories.

The incident has sparked outrage and protests among students at Brown University. At a vigil held for Awartani, a protest erupted, and Brown President Christina Paxson was forced offstage. The shooting has further intensified the already heated debate on campus over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Earlier this week, 20 students were arrested and charged with trespassing after refusing to leave a sit-in outside Paxson's office. However, the charges were later dropped.

In a statement read at the vigil, Awartani emphasized that his shooting was not an isolated incident but part of a larger conflict. He urged students to recognize the broader context and the ongoing violence faced by Palestinians. The shooting has caused fear and frustration among students, who feel that the war thousands of miles away has now directly affected their own safety.

Palestinian students at Brown University had been expressing growing anxiety since the start of the conflict on October 7. They claim that the administration has not taken sufficient action to protect them from threats and harassment. Students who support the Palestinian cause have been calling for the university to divest its endowment from companies affiliated with Israel. Although a referendum measure to divest was passed by undergraduate students in 2019, President Paxson opposed it, stating that the endowment should not be used as a political instrument.

The suspect in the shooting, Jason J. Eaton, has been arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder. Authorities have not determined a motive for the attack but are investigating whether it was a hate crime. Two of the victims were wearing traditional Palestinian scarves at the time of the incident.

Awartani's family and civil rights groups have called for the case to be treated as a hate crime, citing the victims' Palestinian identity as a likely motive. However, police and prosecutors have stated that they have not yet found enough evidence to establish Eaton's motive as a hate crime.

Awartani's family described him as resilient and determined to overcome the challenges he now faces. His mother, Elizabeth Price, expressed her determination to support her son and ensure he receives the best possible care. Awartani's family plans to travel from the West Bank to the US to be with him during his recovery.

The shooting has had a profound impact on the Palestinian community at Brown University. Students have expressed concerns about their safety and have called on the administration to take stronger action to support Palestinian students on campus. They feel that they are not treated equally and that their voices are not being heard.

The incident has brought Palestinian solidarity into the spotlight at Brown University, with students pushing for divestment and advocating for the rights of Palestinians. The campus has become a battleground for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with students from different backgrounds voicing their perspectives and concerns.

As the investigation into the shooting continues, students at Brown University are grappling with the aftermath of the incident and seeking ways to address the ongoing tensions on campus. The shooting has further highlighted the complexity and divisiveness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has now reached college campuses in the United States.