Hampshire divests and Abe Foxman supports a fascist

Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, the first U.S. college to divest from South African apartheid, has become the first U.S. college to divest from Israeli apartheid. Congrats Hampshire and SJP!

The proposal put forth by SJP [Students for Justice in Palestine] 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.”

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. Furthermore, our policy prevents the reinvestment in any company involved in the illegal occupation.

While some sectors of the U.S. are ahead of the curve, others, such as Abe Foxman and the Anti-Defamation League, are heading in the opposite direction. Foxman voiced support for Avigdor Lieberman's proposal to force Palestinian citizens of Israel to sign loyalty oaths to the state.  Lieberman's extreme-right party, Yisrael Beiteinu, came in third in Israel's elections this week, behind two other right-wing parties, Kadima and Likud.  Lieberman has previously suggested executing Palestinian members of Israel's parliament for meeting with Hamas members and for ethnically cleansing Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Jewish Voice for Peace has made it possible to email Foxman urging him to condemn Lieberman, not support him.  But given that Foxman and the ADL are not actually concerned with "defamation" but rather fiercely advocating right-wing Israeli policies, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for an about face.

Comments

[thuvtrick]

Hey Folks ::

The administration doesn't speak for the student movement that has won this divestment.

http://www.hsjp.org/voices-of-divestment/

http://voicesofdivestment.wordpress.com/