February 2016
Citizens of Israel Support UAW Local 2865 following BDS vote nullification by UAW International Executive Board
To whomever it may concern,
We are citizens of Israel who support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions of Israel. We write to add our voices in support of (UAW) Local 2865, the union representing 12,000 Academic Student Employees – Tutors, Readers, and Teaching Assistants – at the nine teaching campuses of the University of California, following the nullification of their pro-BDS vote by UAW International Executive Board.
We understand that the nullification was made due to pressures, irrespective of prior months of open debate in the public sphere and a democratic election process, which resulted in a 65% endorsement of voting members.
In the Israeli public sphere there’s no room for debate on the fate of the indigenous Palestinian people. Any mention of the daily, ongoing, systematic human rights violations, war crimes, colonisation, apartheid system, military occupation, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, are silenced and vilified. We are horrified to see the duplication of the same silencing tactics abroad.
There is nothing anti-semitic about opposing systematic human rights violations. The international community- states, institutions, businesses, unions, and individuals- all have an obligation to withdraw participation from such inhumane acts.
We hope to see the democratic process restored at UAW, as we know first hand how the erosion of democracy can only make way for the normalisation of harm of human life and liberty.
Sincerely,
BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within