by Published April 6, 2011 | NYUNews
Students for Justice in Palestine called for divestment from Israel in a rally on West Fourth Street on Tuesday. But their voices didn’t go unopposed: Gesher: Israel club at NYU and Violets for Israel set up their campaign right across the street.
The issue of contention was the ongoing Isreali-Palestinian conflict, which pits mainstream Palestinians, who demand a state in the West Bank and Gaza strip, against right-wing Israelis, who claim that a creation of a state would destabilize a peaceful Israel.
Shouting war cries while battling the wind and rain, both sides caught the attention of passers-by strolling through the middle of their skirmish.
“Hey Israel, just face it. Apartheid is racist,” shouted members of the SJP. “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!”
The SJP’s main target for their campaign is the TIAA-CREF, a financial service corporation employed by NYU to manage the retirement savings of faculty and staff. TIAA-CREF places NYU retirement funds into dozens of corporations that are profiting from the occupation in Israel.
Corporations such as Motorola, Veolia and Caterpillar, which receive investment money from TIAA-CREF, provide services such as surveillance, equipment, armored bulldozers and helicopters for Israel’s military. Members of SJP urged the community to sign an online petition. SJP has collected over 70 faculty signatures since their first public launch.
Ava Houshmand, a Gallatin senior and a board member of SJP, said the group focuses on TIAA-CREF because the corporation is tied to NYU.
“I know there are many other problems and conflicts in need of help,” Houshmand said, “but since the fund is directly connected to NYU, this is where we believe we can have the greatest influence.”
In response, Gesher: Israel club at NYU and Violets for Israel set up their campaign directly across the street, shouting cries such as “Israel wants Peace” and “Invest in Israel.”
“We’re opposed to the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanction] movement because it imposes an impediment to the peace process by creating sharp division between both sides,” president of Gesher and CAS junior Sara Wellerstein said. “The fact that students on campus think any action that targets an innocent civilian population can be justified is deeply disturbing to us.”
Some professors were present to voice their support.
“It’s an ongoing effort,” said Jeff Goodwin, a professor of sociology at NYU who had signed SJP’s online petition. “We’re definitely out here hoping to get as much support as we can.”
Passersby were impressed that the protest had generated so much passion, despite the wet weather.
“It’s a crazy thing that its raining and all these students are still out here, you know, waving signs and chanting. You gotta acknowledge them,” CAS junior Jessica Staten said.