The New York University (NYU) Student Government Assembly passed a divestment resolution inspired by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) on December 6th by a vote of 35 in favor, 14 against, and 14 abstaining, meeting the ⅔ threshold that was 33 votes. This is the first resolution of this nature ever to be presented at NYU. The “Resolution on the Human Rights of Palestinians” calls for divesting from corporations that violate Palestinian human rights and calls on NYU to adopt a socially responsible investment policy that upholds human rights for all. The resolution was presented by Senators-at-Large Bayan Abubakr and Rose Asaf along with Alternate Senator-at-Large Leen Dweik. Asaf, Abubakr, and Dweik are all seniors at NYU and members of Students for Justice in Palestine. Additionally, Asaf is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace.

“I co-authored this resolution because I have a role and stake in the Palestinian struggle for liberation and justice. To quote Lilla Watson, all of our liberations are bound together. As a first-generation Sudanese-American Muslim, I cannot idly stand by as the institution that I attend perpetuates imperial violence in Palestine and beyond. I want NYU to reckon with the fact that it profits off of the destruction of Palestinian livelihoods, communities, and homes.” – Bayan Abubakr, Senator-at-Large and Students for Justice in Palestine NYU member.

Targeting three corporations – Caterpillar Inc., Lockheed Martin, and General Electric – the resolution brings attention to the ways in which these corporations violate Palestinian human rights. The resolution calls on the university to divest from these companies as well as others complicit in human rights abuses of Palestinians and globally. The resolution ultimately calls on the university to implement a socially responsible investment model, which would put in a place a screen to ensure the university’s investments that uphold human rights for all.

“As a Palestinian, this resolution is deeply personal to me. As an NYU student, it hurts and shocks me that the university would continue to invest in companies that directly contribute to the human rights violations of my family and my people.” – Leen Dweik, Alternate Senator-at-Large and Students for Justice in Palestine member.

The resolution is supported by 61 student groups listed in Appendix A. These include the undergraduate student government of the NYU Silver School of Social Work, the Black Student Union, the Interfaith Students of Color Coalition at NYU and the NYU College Libertarians, amongst others. In addition to these clubs, there are 34 faculty endorsements who are listed in Appendix B. The presentation of the resolution comes a month after more than thirty student groups at NYU pledged non-cooperation with the NYU Tel Aviv campus. This also comes weeks after student activists organized to get a talk by Milo Yiannopoulos cancelled. NYU’s study body now joins Barnard College’s, which passed a referendum in support of divestment last year.

“As an American-Israeli Jewish person, I am co-authoring this resolution because of my identity — not in spite of it. I believe that I, as a Jewish person, have a responsibility to support Palestinians in their struggle for justice and liberation. NYU likes to give the illusion that it is a progressive institution, but how progressive can it actually be when it is actively funding human rights violations?” – Rose Asaf, Senator at-Large and Jewish Voice for Peace-NYU member.

The resolution will next need to be heard by the University Senate, consisting of students, faculty, deans, and staff. If the resolution passes University Senate, it will be sent to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

Appendix A: Supporting Groups

Advocate Coalition (Against) Trafficking at NYU (Re-ACT) African Heritage Month African Student Union NYU Aftab Literary Magazine NYU Against Fascism Arab Students United Asian American Women’s Alliance at NYU Asian Heritage Month NYU Asian Pacific American Coalition Bella Quisqueya (BQ) Black and Brown Coalition at NYU NYU Black Muslim Initiative Black Students Union (BSU) Brownstone Publication Campgrrl NYU Coalition on Law & Representation (CoLR) NYU College Libertarians NYU Disorient NYU Divest for Climate Justice NYU Dream Team Gentlemen of Quality (GQ) GSOC-UAW Local 2110 — The Union for Graduate Employees at New York University Haitian American Students Association (HASA) Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. Incarceration to Education Coalition NYU International Socialist Organization NYU Jewish Voice for Peace La Herencia Latina Latinos Unidos Con Honor y Amistad at NYU (LUCHA) NYU Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) Malaysian Students Association NYU Mexican Student Association (MexSA) Mosaic: The Interfaith Students of Color Coalition at NYU MuCh — Muslim Christian Dialogue at NYU Muslim Graduate Student Group NYU Muslim Students Association National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at NYU Native American and Indigenous Student Group at NYU The Omicron Chapter of Phi Iota Alpha Pakistani Students Association at NYU NYU PorColombia NYU Sanctuary Student Taskforce SHADES: For LGBTQ Students of Color and Allies at NYU Shuruq: Islamic Heritage Month NYU Slam! Poetry Club NYU Students Against Gentrification and Expansion NYU Students for Justice in Palestine Student Labor Action Movement at NYU NYU Tandon Muslim Students Association Turkish Student Association at NYU T-Party at NYU NYU ¡Viva Perú! NYU Young Democratic Socialists of America Biracial and Multicultural Student Association NYU-Wagner’s Black Student Association Justice Initiative at Global Public Health NYU Map Club at NYU Nutrition Without Borders at Global Public Health NYU NYU Silver Undergraduate Student Government Association Bioethics @ NYU Anthropology Undergraduate Student Association

Appendix B: Faculty Support