Brent Rose
Managing Editor
After eight months of research, student activist group Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) released a report March 10 revealing York University invests its pension and endowment funds into several companies that make equipment used by the Israeli military.
The report, ‘Holding York University Accountable,’ demanded York University either divest or stop reinvesting into corporations such as BAE Systems, weapons and radar systems manufacturer of aircraft such as the F-16 Falcon; Northrop Grumman, parts and weapons manufacturer for the F-16; Hewlett Packard, which produces technology used by the Israeli Defence Force to secure checkpoints; and Lockheed Martin, also a manufacturer of F-16s as well as Hellfire missiles. They argued all companies manufacture equipment used in Israeli military operations in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.
The document demanded York not invest in companies that violate international law and partner with staff, faculty and students to guarantee they are held accountable to values of social and environmental justice.
“We believe York has a moral and ethical obligation to divest from companies that reap massive profits from violently infringing upon peoples’ – including Palestinians’ – fundamental rights and freedoms,” said SAIA spokesperson Katherine Lapointe.
SAIA worked with SAIA-University of Toronto to research and compile the report.
Lapointe noted they are “following the courageous footsteps of SAIA-Carleton who launched their own divestment campaign over a year ago.”
SAIA-Carleton will be presenting their demands to the Carleton Board of Governors this month.
Campaign questions university’s investments
About the Author
Is SAIA going to be publishing similar reports on investments in Canada, the US, UK or other countries that support Israel or make/use weapons that may be used on Palestinians? Or is this another part of their ill informed radical view of Israel.
What about Jordan? Are they supporting boycotting anything Jordanian? After all Jordan took land that the United Nations had given to the Palestinians and didn’t allow the people to stay.
Makes some people think. But not the SAIA.
It’s calling for the boycott COMPANIES that make equipment used by the Israeli military, not entire countries themselves.
Many of those companies listed in the article are British and American companies. So yes SAIA does report on such investments.
As for your allegations of ill informed radical views of Israel; the IDF is guilty of war crimes according to the United Nations. Read the Goldstone report.
The IDF also enforces laws that treat people differently based on ethnicity in the West Bank.
But I have to support Israel or else I could be labeled a ‘terrorist’ or ‘antisemitic’ by the National Post