A U.C. Berkeley student senate divestment resolution has sparked a firestorm of controversy. That’s pretty good publicity for a nonbinding motion passed by 16 college kids.
Approved March 18 in a 16-4 vote by the Associated Students of the University of California, the measure urged the university and the U.C. Board of Regents to divest from two companies that supply Israel with materials that the measure’s supporters believe perpetuate Israeli “war crimes.”
The resolution was vetoed a week later by ASUC president Will Smelko. That veto may face an override from the same student senate that passed the resolution in the first place. As of press time, we do not know the outcome of any vote to override.
But we do know this: The problem of anti-Israel sentiment on campuses continues to fester and grow. Here in the Bay Area, at schools such as U.C. Berkeley and San Francisco State University, students aligned against Israel are strong, well organized and good at working the system.
With all the human rights abuses out there — China in Tibet; Myanmar, Iran and Saudi Arabia against their own people — this fixation on Israel has gone on long enough. What can the Jewish community do to effectively push back?
There are no easy answers. Local pro-Israel student groups have tried different strategies, from maintaining a visible presence (such as information booths located at campus crossroads) to a more activist approach, such as that adopted by the group Tikvah.
Others, such as Berkeley Hillel, have tried outreach, including at times working with Muslim and Palestinian groups. This strategy has elicited criticism from some in the Jewish community, who consider it a retreat from what should be a proudly Zionist stance.
Viewed in a certain light, one can argue that the U.C. Berkeley student senate passing a divestment bill means next to nothing. After all, college students exert little influence on policy.
However, we feel it does matter. Views formed during the college years can persist. Over time, as the generation that witnessed the Holocaust and the birth of modern Israel dwindles, the next generation might not grasp the complexities of Middle East politics or the incalculable value of the State of Israel.
It is incumbent upon us as a united Jewish community to make the case for Israel whenever and wherever we can, especially on college campuses. We may not yet have a magic bullet to combat anti-Israel sentiment, but we must not falter in our efforts to try.