By Nigel Lopez
ASUCR divests $1 million dollars from Israeli allies in solidarity with Palestinian citizens of Gaza, becoming the third University of California student government body in the nation to pass a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) resolution.
SR-W24-005 passed with a unanimous ASUCR vote and is the third after UCLA and UC Davis’ student governments passed BDS resolutions.
“BDS utilizes economic and cultural boycotts in an attempt to pressure the Israeli government to abide by international law and put an end to its genocidal and apartheid policies,” the adopted resolution states.
BDS is part of a national movement which has picked up national prominence after Israel started its siege on Gaza.
Immediately after ASUCR passed a resolution which divests over $1 million dollars in funds from companies on the BDS list, UCR put out a statement.
“We strongly oppose this action. This resolution … does not affect the investment practices of the university,” said UCR.
After ASUCR passed the BDS resolution the crowd erupts into cheers and chants. “We are the revolution!” the crowd chanted.
The Student Senate Meeting was packed with students, UCR club members and presidents, UCR faculty, professors, and protestors holding signs and Palestine flags. Some people were sitting on the floor because there was not enough space. With more than 40 people giving public comment, the meeting ran from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. the room was expanded to fit everyone.
ASUCR took extra privacy measures in order to protect the identities of speakers such as not requiring students to write their names to give public comment. Instead students had to raise their hands to give public comment.
A Jewish speaker said Jewish students at UC Santa Barbara have been harassed and that they feel intimidated to speak or share different opinions as their MultiCultural center was shut down.
Another speaker disputed the other students’ comments by saying the MultiCultural center was shut down by UCSB due to its support for Palestine.
According to Daily Nexus “UC Santa Barbara temporarily suspended the MultiCultural Center and its Instagram account after pro-Palestine student activists posted signs during a gathering at the Center, expressing solidarity with Palestine and dissent against university administration, the Associated Students President Tessa Veksler and Zionism on Feb. 26.”
Another Jewish speaker plants an Israeli flag on the microphone and begged for it to not be taken down. “He’s colonizing the microphone,” said a student in the crowd.
After two pro-Israel speakers gave public comment, all Israel supporters got up and left. Leaving the Student Senate Meeting with only pro-Palestine supporters.
The next student speaker planted a Palestinian flag on the microphone without taking off the Israeli flag.
Linton Freund, a Jewish-American PhD Student and activist, wore a shirt that read “Jews Say Ceasefire Now”, took part in strikes for two months across the UC system which resulted a new contract a bigger union, increased wages, financial support for parents, and coverage for student fees.
“I am also a Jewish American and I’m a grandchild of a Holocaust survivor. I have heard too many times tonight, at our local city council meeting, by our government, by faculty that Zionism is the same as Judaism. That blindly supporting a government that is funding and perpetuating genocide against an entire group of people is what is required for Jewish safety. I am here to tell you that is wrong,” Freund said.
Zetsu Shigamatsu, an associate professor in Media and Culture studies member and faculty of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), stood at the podium and commented.
“Tonight I am standing here on behalf of not only Palestinian students but every human being on this planet who can see that this is the most horrific atrocity that I’ve ever seen in my lifetime … I teach regularly on topics such as nuclear warfare, the bombing of Hiroshima. We have seen this country commit atrocity after atrocity and this has to end,” Shigamatsu said.
Numerous speakers say their family has been personally victimized by Israeli bombing in Gaza.
A Palestinian speaker from Gaza said 46 of their family members have been murdered. Another speaker says over 30,035 Palestinians have been killed since Oct 7, and according to NPR the number is incomplete.