Purdue: Remove sanctions on students protesting genocide!

The Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine at Purdue University is circulating this public petition to stand in solidarity with students the Purdue University administration is punishing for peacefully protesting the University’s role in the genocide against the Palestinian people. You can read the text of the petition below and sign here!

The events of the past month as part of the Israel-Palestine conflict are a tragedy in every sense and have amounted to a reprehensible loss of innocent lives. The attack on October 7th by Hamas is not acceptable, and we condemn the loss of any innocent lives, yet it would be a misrepresentation of the facts to say that these attacks had in any way occurred in a vacuum. This horrible act of violence is a direct consequence of the immoral and illegal actions of the Israeli government.

The Israeli government has engaged in ruthless apartheid rule and has been condemned by several human rights organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, which had deemed Gaza “unlivable by 2020.” Forms of peaceful resistance to the Israeli occupation have been met with fatal violence, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of peaceful protestors. Palestinians have been subjected to airstrikes, land seizures, and targeted killings. Half of the population of Gaza is under 18. Over the course of the conflict, the Israeli military has engaged in multiple war crimes, including the bombing of refugee camps and hospitals. The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights has declared the actions of the Israeli government “a textbook case of genocide.”

Israel has been able to commit these egregious human rights violations through economic and military support from organizations such as Purdue University. In this sense, Purdue University is directly culpable for the loss of innocent life and the crimes of the Israeli Military.

We, the undersigned student and faculty organizations call upon Purdue University to heed the warning of the High Commissioner and take direct action against the genocide of Palestinians. We call for Purdue to adopt all elements of the included resolution, designed after the movements protesting South African apartheid.

Proposal for a resolution on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions at Purdue University

Authors: Arjun Janakan and Ishan Tripathi

Organizations: Students for Justice in Palestine and Young Democratic Socialists of America

WHEREAS, The death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict has reached over 34,000 Palestinian civilians with over 4,000 being children.

WHEREAS The Letter from the Director of New York Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights indicts the Government of Israel as guilty of perpetrating genocide.

WHEREAS The aforementioned letter states the following: “In the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, homes are seized and reassigned based entirely on race, and violent settler pogroms are accompanied by Israeli military units.”

WHEREAS The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology has played an instrumental role in the the development and deployment of technologies such as the D9 Bulldozer, the “Scream” acoustic sound system, and other unarmed combat vehicles which automate and expedite the genocide of the Palestinians.

WHEREAS The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology has played an instrumental role in developing Israel’s drone technology and has propelled Israel to be one of the largest exporters of drones in the world.

WHEREAS Economic support to the government of Israel is to be considered as aiding and abetting the illegal occupation and settlement of the Israeli government which is found to be illegal under both international law and under Israeli domestic law.

WHEREAS Academic boycott campaigns against Israeli institutions have been successful and have precedent.

WHEREAS Academic boycott campaigns against previous apartheid regimes such as South Africa, which bear parallels to the Israeli state, have been successful and have precedent.

WHEREAS Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International have identified the boycott of products that support Israeli settlements as direct means of inhibiting the occupation and mitigating Palestinian casualties.

WHEREAS Pressure from Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaigns has resulted in numerous victories for the Palestinian cause, such as the case with General Mills, SodaSteam, and Ben & Jerry’s.

WHEREAS The sale of products distributed by Sabra Dipping Company directly contributes to Israeli military operations.

WHEREAS Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HP) provides population control equipment and other specialized equipment to maintain the illegal occupation of Palestine.

WHEREAS Products labeled as “Made in Israel” are often actually Palestinian products extracted as a result of the illegal occupation of Palestine.

WHEREAS Lockheed Martin provides military support to Israel and harbors a relationship where they profit with the further armament of the Israeli Defense Force and the continuation of conflict.

WHEREAS Saab, inc. provides military support to Israel and harbors a relationship where they profit with the further armament of the Israeli Defense Force and the continuation of conflict.

WHEREAS RTX (formerly Raytheon). provides military support to Israel and harbors a relationship where they profit with the further armament of the Israeli Defense Force and the continuation of conflict.

WHEREAS Northrop Grumman Corporation provides military support to Israel and harbors a relationship where they profit with the further armament of the Israeli Defense Force and the continuation of conflict.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University releases a statement condemning the actions of the government of Israel and publicly calls for a ceasefire.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University severs any connection supporting Israeli institutions, including ending all study abroad programs to Israel and ending connections with Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University no longer accepts grants from the Binational Foundations, including the Binational Science Foundation (BSF), Binational Industry & Research Development Foundation (BIRD), and the Binational Agriculture & Research Development Foundation (BARD).

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue Food Company stops the sale of products made by Sabra Dipping Company.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University no longer purchase products made by Hewlett-Packard Enterprise

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University no longer distributes any product under the label “Product of Israel.”

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University severs any and all ties with Lockheed Martin and exits all contracts with Lockheed Martin as soon as possible.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University severs any and all ties with Saab, Inc. and exits all contracts with Saab, Inc. as soon as possible.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University severs any and all ties with RTX and exits all contracts with RTX as soon as possible.

THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED That Purdue University severs any and all ties with Northrop Grumman Corporation and exits all contracts with Northrop Grumman Corporation as soon as possible.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution be sent to Purdue Graduate Student Government for their consideration as a joint resolution for presentation to the University Senate Committees.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution be sent to Purdue Student Government for their consideration as a joint resolution for presentation to the University Senate Committees.