For the second consecutive year, George Washington University is considering a resolution to divest its interests from the Jewish State of Israel.
Last year, the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions measure failed by just one vote. This year, the anti-Israel resolution seeks “to support the divestment of all of the investments in the George Washington University’s endowment profiting from violation of international law and human rights affecting Palestinians, but also other communities globally.”
Companies that are targeted include: The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Elbit Systems Ltd., Caterpillar Inc., CEMEX, General Electric, Northrop Grumman Corporation, The Raytheon Company, Motorola Solutions, Inc.
The resolution has been endorsed by multiple student groups: the Queer Radicals, GWU Students for Justice in Palestine, GWU Muslim Students’ Association, Jewish Voice for Peace GWU, Young Democratic Socialists of America GW, GWU Students for Indigenous and Native American Rights, Association of Queer Women and Allies.
At least three of the four GW Student Association members that introduced the resolution – Jessica Martinez, Eden Vitoff, and Joshua Gomez – are in the schools’ Students for Justice in Palestine charter.
Keren Azaria, the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at GW Hillel, told Red Alert Politics that she is disappointed and that such resolutions are counterproductive to political discourse on campus.
“GW Hillel believes deeply in having a meaningful conversation about these difficult issues,” she said. “It is sad that students in such an impressive institution are focusing their time and energy in dividing the GW community and demonizing the State of Israel.”
“We sincerely hope that in the future, more constructive dialogue can be pursued,” Azaria added.
“The groups behind the BDS resolution at GW are misguided, naive, and some, like Students for Justice in Palestine, anti-Semitic,” Jennifer Dekel, the director of research and communications for the Endowment for Middle East Truth told Red Alert Politics. “The irony is that the resolution is called ‘The Protection of Palestinian Human Rights Act,’ yet if these groups actually cared about Palestinian human rights, they would boycott the Palestinian Authority & Hamas, which not only strips its people of their basic rights, but in many cases imprisons and kills Palestinians which they deem to be a threat.”
“Queer groups that endorse the resolution must be blind to the fact that LGBT Palestinians are often beaten, imprisoned, & sentenced to death because of their sexual orientation,” Dekel added. “All students on campus should show their moral integrity by coming out against this resolution which singles out & demonizes the Jewish State of Israel, and understand that BDS is not an attempt to oppose ‘settlement’ activity, but is in fact a political tactic used in attempt to destroy the Jewish State.”
GW College Republicans President Cole Perry told Red Alert Politics that he met with GW for Israel to “discuss a partnership to defeat the BDS bill.”
“It echoes last year’s bill but goes further by adding in a ban on studying abroad in Israel,” Perry said. “Extremely disappointing and disguising that there are students who would advocate for the harming of Israel, and in turn, the Jewish people.”
He added, “I’m still reading the current bill, and it is worse than I thought.”
GW College Democrats President Bridget Anzano did not respond to an immediate request for comment.
The resolution comes amid a GW election last month in which a former Students for Justice in Palestine member, Brady Forrest, was beat by an underdog candidate to serve as the Student Association’s executive vice president. The night before the election, a last-minute Facebook post with screenshots of Forrest’s anti-Semitic remarks went viral, such as refusing to join a multicultural event co-sponsored by the Jewish Student Union because of its support for Israel.
Student leaders called on Forrest to resign from the Student Association, where he still served as a senator despite losing the election for executive Vice President, up until Monday night. Forrest was impeached due to his anti-Semetic remarks.
GW Turning Point USA political affairs director Shep Gerszberg, who was one of the letter’s signatories, told Red Alert Politics, “The fact that BDS is returning to campus is not surprising but disappointing nonetheless.”
In an email to students on Monday, both GWU’s Chabad and Hillel chapter urged for the student body to show up on April 16, when the bill is expected to be voted upon following student comment, to oppose it. Chabad Colonials also circulated a petition against the BDS resolution.
“Our sages say it best: a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness. Add some light to the situation and do a mitzvah [Hebrew for ‘good deed’],” Chabad Colonials said in the email. “Our community gets stronger and more unified during difficulties, so know we’re all in it together and are ready to add some light to this campus with you.”
