The Canadian BDS Coalition stands in solidarity with the courageous students around the world, and those close to home, whose peaceful encampments, spirited rallies, and inspiring protests are focused on the demand that their universities divest from Israeli war crimes.
This is not a new issue for students. For decades Boycott Divestment and Sanction (BDS) campaigns have been active on North American campuses and often achieved overwhelming support in student votes and referendums. Rather than meeting those demands, administrations were consistent in their follow-up: repressive action targeting pro-Palestine students and organizations and circulating threats and false claims of anti-semitism.
But this is a new era. Israel’s genocide in Gaza, has exposed us to the reality that our governments and institutions are complicit in the savagery. There is a clear understanding of the path forward – a global movement demanding a boycott, divestment and sanction of Israel until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights. Until Palestine is Free
Because of their cry to divest from billions of dollars of military arms and weapons companies used to carry out Israeli genocide, students and supporters are facing an unprecedented war of repression launched by Israel and pro-Zionist organizations. Police forces are violently arresting peaceful protestors on fraudulent charges, students are threatened with expulsion for unfurling a Palestinian flag.
These brave students have a clear understanding of the risk inherent in confronting the Zionist entity and they are refusing to back down. We commend their strength of resistance and their moral courage to confront and condemn the ongoing genocide, occupation, dispossession and ethnic cleansing of an entire people. Their steadfast call to divest from Israel is changing the world.
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