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by Benjamin Kerstein
The insignia of the University of California Irvine. Photo: UC Irvine.
The University of California Irvine administration pushed back against the passage of a pro-BDS bill by its student government that referred to Israel as an “apartheid state,” saying the bill “does not reflect the university’s views.”
The bill, which passed Tuesday night by 19 votes to three, claimed it was “in no way related to Judaism” and called for divestment from a plethora of companies it charged were involved in alleged Israeli malfeasance.
On Thursday, UC Irvine issued a statement saying, “As one of the world’s top research universities, UCI encourages the lively exchange of ideas from diverse voices, cultures, and backgrounds.”
“The resolution passed last night by an independent student government group, which cites the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calls for the elimination of certain investments, has no impact on UCI’s operations, does not reflect the university’s views, and is not aligned with the investment policies of the University of California,” it continued.
Marshall Roe, a former student senator who opposed the bill, told the Algemeiner Wednesday that the denials of antisemitism “were just trying to gussy this up, putting lipstick on a pig … They were willing to just cast off any sort of opinion that had previously come from the Jewish community.”
The UC Irvine statement added that the university “assures its students and the community that it is committed to providing a welcoming environment for its Jewish students, as well as those of all faiths, and expects discourse that is respectful to all members of our community.”
It also noted that its chancellor, Howard Gilman, has publicly opposed boycotts of Israel; that it has created initiatives to fight antisemitism; and that it sponsored programs on the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
UCI is committed to providing a welcoming environment for its Jewish students, as well as those of all faiths, and expects discourse that is respectful to all members of our community. See full campus statement on ASUCI resolution below. pic.twitter.com/6pSwCgyDfh
— UC Irvine (@UCIrvine) February 10, 2021
