On divesting from Israel

As Dalhousie students, we are concerned that our student union is being solicited by an anti-Israel group on campus. The members of the Dalhousie Student Union last week voted on a motion to divest from a number of entities. Israel was specifically mentioned in a motion on the agenda.

This fait accompli was orchestrated on the busiest week of the semester, during final exams. None of the outgoing members of the Dalhousie Student Union campaigned against Israel as a part of their election platform. Yet here we are, with a student council hardly elected by a landslide, with just a fraction of Dal students voting, taking steps as though they won a huge mandate to smear all students as Jew haters.

We believe the Dalhousie Student Union should hold a referendum, instead of being dictated to by a BDS campaign that the university does not support. Intersectionality requires them to take a look at the Hamas Charter for starters, as this organization reflects the will of Palestinian voters who elected it to power, with a mandate to eliminate all Jews.