After the passage of an Student Association (SA) Congress resolution in support of implementing Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) on campus, many students and student-led organizations have expressed their support for the legislation. Pipe Dream reached out to these students and organizations to compile a list of statements highlighting their perspectives.

Nicholas Ginsberg, an off-campus college SA Congress representative and a sophomore double-majoring in political science and sociology 

“I’m very happy with the voting of the resolution this past meeting instead of the meeting on May 1. Due to this being such a divisive subject, I’m glad we were able to start and end the conversation in one meeting, instead of having two meetings with high emotions and upset Congress representatives. At the end of the day, no matter what side someone may be on, they deserve the same respect as a Congress representative as I do. I hope the swift voting of this passage allows for everyone’s emotions to subside. Rather than having a heated final Congress meeting, we can celebrate the great year we’ve had.”

Latin American Student Union

“We want to share our support for the Divest from Death campaign and the action taken by the SA Congress in passing the divestment resolution. As an organization that has historically been a part of anti-war and anti-apartheid movements, we recognized the need to organize with the growing campaign. It would be hypocritical to represent our Latin culture and history — deeply rooted in colonialism and genocide — while ignoring the ongoing genocide in Gaza and humanitarian crises across the globe. LASU stands in solidarity with Palestine and is committed to aligning with the Palestinian liberation movement. No one is free until we are all free. En la Unión está la Fuerza.”

Binghamton University’s Young Democratic Socialists of America

“BU YDSA supports the divestment resolution. Our belief in societal democratization extends to our international perspective — we must confront political conflicts with democratic solutions.

Palestinians have been denied self-determination even before the 1948 Nakba, when Zionist militias displaced over 750,000 Palestinians. Today, Israel disenfranchises Palestinians while privileging Jewish Israelis — apartheid, according to Amnesty International and B’Tselem. Despite withdrawing from Gaza in 2006, Israel’s siege continues, blocking aid while killing aid workers and journalists.”

Israel’s violent oppression of Palestine makes resistance inevitable. As long as the occupation persists, this conflict will not end. Israel is the primary obstacle to peace, and BDS is the best way to show solidarity and challenge apartheid.

Students across the country are taking action for Palestine through university divestment resolutions and over a dozen university encampments in support of divestment — hundreds have been arrested, but we will not yield. We have a world to win.”

Black Student Union

“The divest from death resolution passing represents monumental change and emphasizes the importance of solidarity and activism to enact change. What is happening in Palestine is genocide, and as Black students we know what oppression looks like across all race boundaries. We, too, have been on the receiving end of horrendous acts of violence, and it is our social responsibility and moral obligation to stand with and for our Palestinian brothers and sisters. As students part of the united front, we collectively pushed for the change we wanted to see and called out our University for supporting a genocide. This criticism of the Israel government has been falsely labeled antisemitism. However, we will not let this distraction stop us from calling out the evils committed by Israel. We will always call for a free Palestine. The work is not done, for this is only [the] beginning, but definitely a win worth celebrating.”

Feminist Collective E-Board

“The Feminist Collective is immensely proud of all the work that went into getting this pivotal divestment resolution passed in the SA Congress. This is not only a historic victory for the Divest from Death Coalition, but for BU and the SUNY system as a whole, as this is a crucial first step in ending the United States’ unequivocal support for the apartheid state of Israel and our state-wide complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Just as the SA did during Apartheid in South Africa, we stand with oppressed and occupied peoples around the world and demand more from our University. Binghamton is the second SUNY to vote on a resolution like this, and we certainly will not be the last. No one is free until we are all free — the issue of Palestine is, undoubtedly, a feminist issue. Let Gaza Live!”

The Abortion Advocacy Coalition

“The Binghamton Abortion Advocacy Coalition stands, unequivocally, in support of the Divest from Death campaign and the resolution that was passed by SA Congress. BAAC was founded on reproductive justice principles that stand against apartheid regimes, the military-industrial complex and weapons manufacturers. We cannot stand for reproductive justice without standing for a free Palestine, given the horrific lack of reproductive health care available to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza strip. The tenets of reproductive justice innately support divestment from weapons manufacturers and institutions financially bound to the ongoing genocide. BAAC was thrilled to hear of the passing of this resolution and will continue to support the Divest from Death campaign throughout this process.”