Campaign Summary: University of California, Berkeley

2010

The BDS Movement at UC Berkeley: How It Failed and Lessons Learned (Part 1): An in-depth, 20-page summary of the BDS effort that first took place at UC Berkeley.

UPDATE: U.C.Berkeley student president vetoes divest-from-Israel resolution, Amanda Pazornik, jweekly.

2011

BDS at Berkeley: an Eyewitness View: A first-hand account of a Jewish student’s experience with BDS at UC Berkeley and its polarizing, negative effects. This presentation was given by Simone Zimmerman at the 2nd J Street National Conference.

2013

Berkeley Chancellor Repudiates Student Senate’s Anti-Israel Divestment Resolution: Letter by released former UC Berkeley Chancellor, Robert J. Birgeneau, rejecting the decision made by the student senate to divest from Israel. Despite the passage of the resolution, entitled, “A Bill In Support of Human Rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” the Chancellor reiterated that the investment policy of the UC Regents will remain unchanged.

Berkeley Student Senate Guts Anti-Israel Divestment Resolution: Article that explains the changes that the UC Berkeley resolution went through in 2013, in which As the Daily student senators removed the clauses that dealt with the student senate’s own investments and appropriations, which are the only funds that they control.

UC Berkeley students pass Israel divestment bill, Gavriel Fiske, Times of Israel. Article that summarizes divestment resolution.

2014

U.C. student workers’ union votes to join BDS campaign against Israel: An article that announces a student union decided to join the BDS movement. The movement demands that the University of California divest from certain companies that are involved in Israel.

Why I’m (Reluctantly) Voting Against BDS at Berkeley: Article that explains why one student decided to vote against BDS, coming from a neutral perspective. The student states that there are moral problems with BDS, and does not adhere to international law.

2015

Berkeley panel rejects Israel divestment resolution: An article explaining the Berkeley City Human Welfare and Community Action Commission decision to vote against the resolution to support the BDS movement.