Demand Oberlin Board of Trustees Reject BDS

As Oberlin College’s Board of Trustees comes under new leadership, anti-Israel students at Oberlin have submitted a new divestment proposal to the Board. Last Spring semester, a similar antisemitic BDS proposal was rejected. Demand that the Board of Trustees refuse to consider any divestment proposals designed to target and isolate Israel.

To the Oberlin College Board of Trustees:

After the Board of Trustees rejected an antisemitic divestment proposal last Spring, pro-Hamas actors are once again pushing the Board to consider divestment.

This time around, the authors of the proposal have attempted to disguise their antisemitic demand by calling on the College to divest from weapons manufacturers rather than explicitly calling for divestment from companies that do business with Israel. However, it is clear that the authors of the new proposal intend to target and isolate Israel by pressuring Oberlin to divest its endowment in accordance with the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

You must make it clear that Oberlin College will not consider adopting any form of the antisemitic BDS movement. Divestment from Israel is not about promoting human rights or social justice. It is a thinly veiled attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state and its right to exist.

If the Board entertains a new divestment proposal, the Board would legitimize antisemitic attitudes on campus and embolden those who seek to harm Jewish members of the Oberlin community. Granting any legitimacy to the antisemitic BDS movement will only lead to increased hostility toward Jewish students on campus, potentially putting federal funding at risk. Furthermore, adopting BDS would conflict with Ohio’s anti-BDS law and jeopardize the college’s receipt of state funding.

I am calling on you, the Oberlin College Board of Trustees, to stand against hate and reject calls for divestment from Israel. Universities should be places where all students feel safe and respected, regardless of their background or beliefs. You must ensure that the Oberlin campus remains a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

Signed,
______

First Name

Last Name