Congressman Waxman, State Senator Lieu and State Senator-Elect Ben Allen Release Statement on UCLA Student Government Endorsement of Israel Divestment Policy

In response to the UCLA student government passing a non-binding resolution calling for divestment of school funds from American companies with a presence in the West Bank or whose products are used by the Israeli military, Rep. Henry Waxman, State Sen. Ted Lieu, and State Sen.-elect Ben Allen issued the following statement:

 "We are deeply disappointed by the UCLA student government’s passage of a resolution in favor of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. 
 
While the resolution is purely symbolic, it is misguided and showcases an anti-Israel bias rather than a legitimate concern for human rights. Directing divestment policy squarely at Israel, a democratic country with institutionalized civil rights protections for minorities, ignores the complexity of the conflict and does nothing to foster peace or even healthy debate and mutual understanding. The only tangible impact BDS resolutions have is creating a hostile and uncomfortable environment for many students on campus.
 
We applaud UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and the Board of Regents for dismissing this resolution and rejecting BDS measures targeting Israel. In time, we hope the student government finds more constructive ways to address grievances and bring the UCLA community together."