The UCLA undergraduate student government passed a resolution that calls for the University of California to divest from American companies that are accused of abusing Palestinian human rights.
The student government passed the divestment resolution on Nov. 18 by a vote of 8 to 2, with two abstentions.
The vote comes nine months after the student government rejected a similar resolution, which came amid threats to student representatives and accusations that the campus Jewish community had not been consulted on the resolution. It was voted down 7-5.
Introduced by Students for Justice in Palestine, the new resolution calls for divestment from Caterpillar, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Cemex and Cement Roadstone Holdings — companies whose products divestment backers said were used by the Israeli military to violate Palestinian human rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
About 250 students attended the Undergraduate Students Association Council meeting on Nov. 18, according to the Daily Bruin. There were 90 minutes of public comment during the meeting, though only students who supported the proposal spoke during that time, according to the newspaper.
Representatives from Hillel at UCLA, Bruins for Israel and J Street U made a 15-minute presentation during which they explained their opposition to the resolution. SJP students also made a presentation, saying the university should divest from the companies because they either contributed to the construction of settlements in the West Bank or provided weapons used in attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Daily Bruin.
Student groups that co-sponsored the resolution include the Afrikan Student Union, Armenian Student Association, MEChA de UCLA, Samahang Pilipino, Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation, Queer Alliance and Bruin Feminists for Equality. — jta