On Tuesday, March 23rd Student Government of Loyola Chicago passed a resolution to divest from corporations profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine. After hours of student debate and senate discussion, SGLC senators voted in favor of the resolution by 16-15-2.
This is the third time the resolution has passed through senate and aims for Loyola University to invest in corporations consistent with its Jesuit values. The primary companies targeted in the Divest legislation include: United Technology Co, Raytheon, Valero, and Caterpillar.
The Loyola Divest victory comes after months of tireless campaigning and educational forums led by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) members. SJP’s efforts resulted in endorsements from over 20 student organizations and 1,245 undergraduate student signatures.
“Over the last couple of weeks, we held numerous teach-ins and workshops, and tabled every day. The campus received our message. Through this campaign, we have built strong relationships and solidarity between marginalized communities on campus. We are happy that our senators have chosen to stand on the right side of history today,” said Nashiha Alam, SGLC senator and SJP member.
The attendance at the SGLC Divest Hearing was reflective of the overwhelming support for the Divestment cause. A large body of pro-divest supporters overflowed the right side of the auditorium spilling into the left side of the auditorium where students against the measure filled a few rows.
The debate opened with one hour of public comments where speakers on both sides strongly voiced their opinions about the legislation. The atmosphere quickly turned emotional as many students shared tragic stories they or their families had experienced in Israel and Palestine.
Most of the students who opposed the resolution described feeling targeted and alienated by the bill.
Nicole Constantine voiced her opposition to the bill, saying, “We view this bill as targeting a specific country and a specific group of students on campus.”
Students against the divestment measure encouraged the idea of “Dialogue not Divest” and argued the bill is creating a divide in the campus community.
Nadine Darwish, SJP president, said during her speech, “This is not the first time that dialogue has been used as a tool to prolong silence and maintain the status quo. Palestinians in the Gaza strip were not given an option for dialogue before their homes were bombed to smithereens by warplanes used by United Technologies over the summer. Palestinians in the West Bank are not given the option to dialogue before their homes are illegally demolished by Caterpillar bulldozers… When Saint Ignatius said ‘go forth and set the world on fire’ he did not mean invest in corporations that are actually setting the world on fire with guided missiles and war planes.”
Carly Mulvenna