Students at Hampshire College have reason to celebrate. Hampshire has become the first college in the US to divest from the Israeli occupation. As the Students for Justice in Palestine press release points out, Hampshire was also the first college in the US to divest from South Africa 32 years ago. We will continue to follow this story in the following days, but this is an important step in a growing movement.
From the Hampshire College Students for Justice in Palestine press release:
Hampshire College becomes first college in U.S. to divest from Israeli Occupation!
Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, has become the first of any college or university in the U.S. to divest from companies on the grounds of their involvement in the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
This landmark move is a direct result of a two-year intensive campaign by the campus group, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The group pressured Hampshire College’s Board of Trustees to divest from six specific companies due to human rights concerns in occupied Palestine. Over 800 students, professors, and alumni have signed SJP’s “institutional statement” calling for the divestment. The proposal put forth by SJP was approved on Saturday, 7 Feb 2009 by the Board.
By divesting from these companies, SJP believes that Hampshire has distanced itself from complicity in the illegal occupation and war crimes of Israel.Meeting minutes from a committee of Hampshire’s Board of Trustees confirm that “President Hexter acknowledged that it was the good work of SJP that brought this issue to the attention of the committee.” This groundbreaking decision follows in Hampshire’s history of being the first college in the country to divest from apartheid South Africa thirty-two years ago, a decision based on similar human rights concerns. This divestment was also a direct result of student pressure. The divestment has so far been endorsed by Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Rashid Khalidi, Vice President of the EU Parliament Luisa Morganitini, Cynthia McKinney, former member of the African National Congress Ronnie Kasrils, Mustafa Barghouti, Israeli historian Ilan Pappe, John Berger, Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire, and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, among others.
The six corporations, all of which provide the Israeli military with equipment and services in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza are: Caterpillar, United Technologies, General Electric, ITT Corporation, Motorola, and Terex (see attached info sheet for more information on these corporations.) Furthermore, our policy prevents the reinvestment in any company involved in the illegal occupation.
SJP is responding to a call from Palestinian civil society for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) as a way of bringing non-violent pressure to bear on the state of Israel to end its violations of international law. SJP is following in the footsteps of many noted groups and institutions such as the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education in the UK, the Israeli group Gush Shalom, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the American Friends Service Committee.
As well as voicing our opposition to the illegal occupation and the consistent human rights violations of the Palestinian people, we as members of an institute of higher education see it as our moral responsibility to express our solidarity with Palestinian students whose access to education is severely inhibited by the Israeli occupation.
SJP has proven that student groups can organize, rally and pressure their schools to divest from the illegal occupation. The group hopes that this decision will pave the way for other institutions of higher learning in the U.S. to take similar stands.
Related posts:
- Hampshire tries to downplay divestment, but says investing in Israeli occupation is not ’socially responsible’
- 20 Israeli groups call on Norwegian pension fund to divest from occupation
- Hampshire students urge their cold-feet administration to ‘embrace the moment’ of divestment
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu endorses Hampshire divestment action
- Dershowitz threatens boycott of Hampshire College
{ 19 comments }
Warmest congratulations for those who organised this, and those who actually listened and then went ahead with it.
In response, prepare for an avalanche of hate, lies, and smear campagins; what Richard Nixon's colleagues gleefully called "Rat Fucking."
No matter. The intensity of the opposition is proof of their desperation. Dershowitz and Foxman are sad middle aged clowns.
Congratulations to Hampshire College. Go divestment!
Great news! As the statement says, "This is an important step in a growing movement."
Other than congrats of divestment from the Sudan, who else are they boycotting? China? N. Korea? Iran? Syria?
I've been getting happy tears and goose bumps all day. I think I'm in love with Hampshire College.
Except that Hampshire college didn't divest b/c of israeli actions.
From a statement of the Board of Directors —
But reached for comment, the college's director of
communications Elaine Thomas insisted the message spread online was incorrect.
In a "statement of clarification" sent by Thomas to The Jerusalem Post on Thursday evening, the college's president, chairman of the board of
trustees and dean of faculty insisted the decision to divest from State Street was made because the fund was found by an outside consultant to hold stocks in "well over 100 companies engaged in business practices that violate the college's policy on socially responsible investments. These violations include: unfair labor practices, environmental abuse, military weapons manufacturing, and unsafe
workplace settings."
The statement acknowledged that the Board of Trustees' initial review of the college's State Street holdings was based on a complaint by Students for Justice in Palestine about six companies doing business in Israel.
But the college's top leadership insisted the "decision expressly did not pertain to a political movement or single out businesses active in a specific region or country. No other report or interpretation of the actions of February 7, 2009, by the Hampshire College board of trustees is accurate."
guess y'll have to save your confetti and fireworks for the 4th of July? :-)
A RELATED MATTER:
*Church of England Divested from Caterpillar
Posted by OPGAI on Tue, 02/10/2009
Over this weekend, 7th and 8th February, the Church of England clarified their position on their investments in companies profiting from the illegally occupied Palestinian territories. The Church now wishes to make clear that late last year they removed over £2.2 million in Caterpillar, a company whose bulldozers and heavy plant equipment are been used to destroy the homes of Palestinians by the Israeli government….“This is a clear message from the Church of England that they will not have their money tied up in companies that are directly or indirectly engaged in the suppression of the rights of Palestinians.
The Church’s removal of £2.2 million is a significant blow to those who say that ethical and morally responsible investments can’t be used as a peaceful weapon against the Israeli Government.
SOURCE – http://bdsmovement.net/?q=node/299
What would you expect from a country that is slip sliding towards the Islamic borg?
The Church of England is simply assimilating. haha!
The Boston Globe has also reported the "clarification."
Sigmund Roos, chairman of the board of trustees, said in a phone interview that while the board reviewed the fund's investments it never reviewed the group's petition, which accuses Israel of implementing "apartheid policies" against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"We never took it up," he said. "Students know that."
Roos said he was disappointed that students had portrayed the board's decision as a protest of Israeli policy. The fund represented about one-quarter of the college's investments.
Hampshire College cuts ties with firms invested in Israel
What a joke. Who in their right mind believes that the board reviewed the investments without paying any attention to the petition itself? The petition IS THE IMPETUS THAT COMPELLED THE BOARD TO REVIEW THE INVESTMENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. The petition was presented to the board by a group called STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE. Does the board know what Palestine is? Does the board think the student group's interest lies in promoting "fair labor practices" and "environmental safeguards" to an indigenous population that suffers under a brutal occupation? Those goals, while obviously laudable, are not exactly the priority for Palestinians at this point.
This reeks of organized intimidation. I urge everyone to contact Hampshire College and ask them not to give in to the likes of Alan Dershowitz and whatever other genocidal maniacs called to defend Israel.
Sorry Dan, but you lost again. No hard feelings, eh?
Dan wrote: "This reeks of organized intimidation. wahhhhhh! I urge everyone to stalk Hampshire College and threaten them not to give in to the likes of Alan Dershowitz and whatever other genocidal maniacs called to defend Israel. Or else we'll do the suicide belt dance.
Pssst…Mohammad, how did I do? How did I do? *smooch*"
Make sure to say that you read all about it at Mondoweiss…I'm sure the David Duke/Pro Iran love connection will really convince them. lol!
I just sent off this email to Hampshire SJP:
Hello,
I am a regular reader of Phil Weiss' blog, Mondoweiss, and I became aware of your divestment campaign this morning via the blog. My happiness soon turned to anger, however, when I became aware of the board's statement distancing itself from the real motivations for the divestment (first reported in the Jerusalem Post, I believe). As I wrote on Phil's blog:
"The Boston Globe has also reported the "clarification."
Sigmund Roos, chairman of the board of trustees, said in a phone interview that while the board reviewed the fund's investments it never reviewed the group's petition, which accuses Israel of implementing "apartheid policies" against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"We never took it up," he said. "Students know that."
Roos said he was disappointed that students had portrayed the board's decision as a protest of Israeli policy. The fund represented about one-quarter of the college's investments.
What a joke. Who in their right mind believes that the board reviewed the investments without paying any attention to the petition itself? The petition IS THE IMPETUS THAT COMPELLED THE BOARD TO REVIEW THE INVESTMENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. The petition was presented to the board by a group called STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE. Does the board know what Palestine is? Does the board think the student group's interest lies in promoting "fair labor practices" and "environmental safeguards" to an indigenous population that suffers under a brutal occupation? Those goals, while obviously laudable, are not exactly the priority for Palestinians at this point.
This reeks of organized intimidation. I urge everyone to contact Hampshire College and ask them not to give in to the likes of Alan Dershowitz and whatever other genocidal maniacs called to defend Israel."
In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea to refer to Dershowitz as a "genocidal maniac", although, if pressed, I could certainly provide ample evidence to support my characterization.
All kidding aside, I would like to know what your group is doing to respond to this, and what you all feel is the best approach going forward. I would also like to know who you recommendcontacting at Hampshire in order to make my voice heard.
Thank you for the important work you do, and please don't be intimidated by the backlash from the likes of Dershowitz. As you correctly stated, this is an important step in a growing movement in this country.It's time this country gets up to speed with the rest of the world in condemning Israel's criminal barbarity.
"I am a regular reader of Phil Weiss' blog, Mondoweiss"
oh no you didn't!!! lolololol! You have seriously lost all perspective.
I am PRAYING your email lures them over here. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I originally thought Kook house Kelly sent an email to the board of Trustees at Hampshire College…but I see he wrote to SJP (sorry, I tend to skim his crazy posts fast).
That's a different story. I wrote to them too. Suggesting they owe a public apology for lying.
That's going to earn them some pretty bad press.
Conrgatulations to Hampshire College. I hope it is soon just one of many.
Suzanne – what the heck is wrong with you? You sound so ridiculous and immature. Why must you slander a whole group of students trying to make the world a little better? Do you deny that the West Bank is occupied illegal (as in contra to existing and applicable UN agreements)? Do you deny that the Palistinians have a right to control their own destinies and govern themselves without foreign interference? Do you deny that Israel has no right to occupy the West Bank without express Palistinian permission – do you deny that life is very miserable for the Palistinians and that they are literally caged-in ala Euro old-style ghetto like?
From UN:
"The West Bank covers 5,500 square kilometers with an estimated population of 1.8 million. Approximately, one quarter of the refugees live in nineteen recognized refugee camps and the majority live in West Bank towns and villages. "
"Camp residents have been hard hit by closures imposed on the West Bank by the Israeli authorities, since they are largely dependent on income from work inside Israel. Subsequently, unemployment has risen and socio-economic conditions in the camps have deteriorated. "
"However, the main problem facing UNRWA's education programme in the West Bank is overcrowding with an average of 50 pupils per classroom. Due to the growth in the school population and the shortage of school buildings, 24 schools are run on a double shift basis, i.e. they share the same school building, and 21 schools operate in rented premises. In addition, many schools have been damaged by Israeli military activity since September 2000. "
http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/westbank.html
Is this not immoral?
In GAZA:
"existing evidence discloses a harsher regime of confinement and siege imposed on the Gazan population,” Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the General Assembly’s third committee (social, humanitarian and cultural) yesterday.
He said Palestinians continue to face difficulties in obtaining exit permits to receive specialized medical treatment in Israel or elsewhere that is not available in Gaza.
“Such delays and denial of permission has resulted in a growing number of tragic deaths, severe mental and physical suffering, and constitutes a violation of the duty of the occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention to take all reasonable steps to protect the health and well-being of the population under occupation, with exceptions only to the extent absolutely necessary for upholding security.
“These restrictions appear unrelated to credible security claims, and hence a punitive form of collective punishment, which is consistent with the overall maintenance of the siege that has been applied to Gaza since July 2007.”
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28715&Cr=palestin&Cr1=
If Israel is serious about ending the bs …they need to get on the technology wagon and find a way to fight guerrilla warfare that is quiet, precise, and irreversible.
That's definitely where I'd be putting my money.
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