Palestine solidarity wins at UC Davis

University campuses have become a major battlefield for the Palestine solidarity movement in the U.S. Students and faculty who support Palestinian liberation have been subjected to doxxing, university discipline, arrest, firings and more. School administrators, even if they are not anti-Zionist, have been removed simply for not being strong enough in backing Israel.

But solidarity groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine have persevered and have scored some victories. “From McDonald’s to Sabra to Chevron, none of our student fees that fund ASUCD (Associated Students, University of California, Davis) operations will be used to financially support 30+ companies that are complicit in Zionist violence,” the University of California Davis SJP chapter said on Instagram. (middleeasteye.net Feb. 16)

UC Davis student rally against Israel’s bombing of Gaza, Oct. 19, 2023. (Photo: davisenterprise.com)

The ASUCD, which is the student body government, voted 10-2 with two abstentions in favor of divesting the $20 million in university funds drawn from student fees. The vote was for a “bill,” not a “resolution,” which means it changes the ASUCD bylaws — as opposed to merely expressing an opinion.

Graduate student workers, represented by the United Auto Workers, worked with SJP to get the bill passed. Activists will build on this victory to push UC Davis to divest all of its funds, including its multibillion dollar endowment fund.