Hampshire College cuts ties with fund invested in Israel

Hell would freeze over before I'd send my child to Hampshire, attend a conference there or accept one of their students into a graduate program in my university. But it has NOTHING to do with their not being able to tell apartheid from being surrounded by countries who deny your right to exist. It's pure coincidence.

this place is about as far left as it can be without falling off the planet all together. this decision just confirms what a collection of lunatics attends this "college." tuition, room, board and fees top $48,000 at this bastion of higher education. what a waste.

Congratulations to Hampshire College for responsibly divesting from Israeli aggression against Palestinians (NOT from Israel itself!). Palestinians have a right to peacefully and healthfully live in the area within their borders. Hampshire is only continuing their tradition of groundbreaking, being that they were the first college to divest from South African apartheid in the 70's.

It's funny, i remember almost the same things said about the ruling government in apartheid South Africa. It's shameful that history really does repeat itself and somehow we still don't seem to learn, maybe chastising academic freedom contributes to that too or perhaps that is pure coincidence.

This is the most beautiful expression of none -violence for students. It is about time to awake up and to understand that Israel became its worse enemy. A group of fanatics who believe that Arabs/ Palestinians equal to animals and they say out loud that Rabi Khana was right, which imply that it is okay to kill Arab and to transfer them by force. This group (mainly in the settler movement) hold Israel hostage. Although, it is not the majority of people who believe such radical thinking, there are tens of thousands of them and this election shows the trend! World Awake up!! Israeli journalist Gideon Levy says: “Netanyahu’s election is likely to bring the curtain down on the great fraud… the lie of “negotiations” and the injustice of the “peace process.” Israel consistently claimed these acts proved the nation was focused on peace and the end of the occupation. All the while, it did everything it could to further entrench the occupation and distance any chance of a potential agreement.”
We believe in peace but not only talk about it we want to take action! The only effective none violence way is to boycott the Armi (IDF) and the settlers.

As a graduate of Hampshire College who was personally active in rallying support for ending Israel's brutal and illegal occupation of Palestine, I am very proud of the tradition of principled student organizing that lives on at Hampshire College. In a world where strong disagreement with prevailing consensus is often so quickly attacked, it is crucial that voices of reason and justice rise in their intensity. The Hampshire College Administration should be recognized for their good choice to divest from the companies enabling brutality against Palestinians. We must insist that the principles we hold dear -- human rights, self-determination, and justice -- prevail over resignation and complicity.

Unbelievable. Castigating Israel on human rights when the Islamists they are supporting are immeasurably worse in that regard.

It is amazing how liberals can ally themselves with Islamists who attack civilians and oppress 700 million women worldwide. Are they just mushy in the head, or what?

Statement of Clarification from Sigmund Roos 73F, chair of the board of trustees, Ralph Hexter, president, and Aaron Berman, vice president and dean of faculty, regarding trustees’ actions on college investments

We write to correct numerous reports circulating about actions taken by the Hampshire College board of trustees on February 7, 2009. The facts are as follows:

• On February 7, 2009, the Hampshire College board of trustees accepted the report of its investment committee, which earlier had voted, without reference to any country or political movement, to transfer assets held in a State Street fund to another fund.
• Based on a comprehensive review of the fund by the trustee investment committee, administrators and an outside consultant, the college found that this fund held stocks in well over 100 companies engaged in business practices that violate the college’s policy on socially responsible investments. These violations include: unfair labor practices, environmental abuse, military weapons manufacturing, and unsafe workplace settings.
• The review also led the board of trustees to vote to revise its 1994 socially responsible investment policy to bring it up-to-date with current standards and practices, and, pending revision, to suspend that policy.
• The review of the State Street fund was undertaken at the request of a sub-committee of the investment committee, to address a petition from a student group, Students for Justice in Palestine. The investment committee’s decision, however, was based on the consultant’s finding that the State Street fund included 100-plus companies engaged in multiple violations of the college’s investment policy; the decision expressly did not pertain to a political movement or single out businesses active in a specific region or country.
• No other report or interpretation of the actions of February 7, 2009 by the Hampshire College board of trustees is accurate.

Great job!

I'm glad communities are waking up to the Israeli apartheid.

BRAVO! Your institution is certainly one we will seriously consider for our future child/ren. That your student body wisely and bravely recognizes the nefarious being of the occupation of Palestine and to the point of influencing the College divest holdings therefore is admirable, brave, wise and positive.

An institution with integrity!! It is about time that our higher educational institutions stood up for what is right, ethical and moral. They not only teach ethics they practice it, unlike too many of our colleges and universities.

WAY TO GO, HAMPSHIRE KIDS!!

Israel is denying people citizenship and rights solely because they are the wrong religion. Now they are walled-in and slaughtered. NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING TO THEM IF THEY WERE A DIFFERENT RELIGION.

Americans are finally waking up and realizing this is the opposite of American values! Millions of Americans who supported the Obama dream are ready to support you. Let me know how I can help.

If the students lied about the meaning and motivations of divestment, then that is disgustingly dishonest. What immature brats. Gloating about winning (apparently) the cyber-blitz only makes it more disgusting. If the administration at Hampshire has any integrity, the leaders of SJP will be expelled for misrepresenting the college. They certainly deserve expulsion. Good luck in the real world - the activist world - with this kind of mentality and "ethics."

They should stop using PCs (Intel Pentium chips are designed in Israel), Microsoft software (ditto), Firewalls (ditto), drip irrigation (invented in Israel), stop eating Jaffa oranges, and hundreds if not thousands of concepts and products conceived and/or developed in Israel... and for the record - they can start with IBM, who was the first foreign company to set up shop in Israel in 1949!!!
and for starters - they should read the proper definition of apartheid... as it is NOT relevant to the situation in Israel.

Rest of the world has been long despairing the blindness of the American public with regard to vicious, harrowing and dehumanising 40 year old occupation by Israel of the native Palestinian population.

The resisters are called terrorists - just like French Resistance was called terrorists. The Israel claims its right to "self-defence" same way the Americans called for their right to self-defence from Vietnamese resistance while American Army was busy occupying Vietnam.

There is never ending (by design) farcical "peace process" which in nutshell negotiates how much of illegally occupied land can Israel keep hold of for ever over the objections of International Law and virtually all countries of the world.

There is rise of openly fascist and racist political parties in Israel that are about to enter Israel's ruling coalition while in Palestinian Occupied Territories Arabs cannot breathe without a permit from some Israeli apparatchik.

It takes students and their access to uncensored information on the internet to see the other side of the story and, - check for yourself - it is ugly.

since a large number of palestinian arabs actually drive and make full use of Caterpillar truck, tractors etc and they dont seem to have any trouble, i wonder how they would feel if this 'disinvestment' had financial implications for them and started to deprive them of the ability to provide for their families, and where is Palestine that the students talk about, is it the gaza strip where the israelis moved out of in 2005, or is it in the judea & samaria, which was taken from the jordanians in 1967, who had taken it from israel in 1948, or do they mean , the land Hamas call palestine which happens to be to entire land of israel

Hmmm, I wonder if the Arab countries even allow Jews to live in them. I wonder why 'the left' is so pure and against Israel. Also, I wonder if Hampshire has a vocal pro-Muslim contingent and money from very rich Arab students from very rich Arab countries, or whether it is just misled Hampshire kids in general who are equating Israel and the old South Africa in absolutely wickedly wrong logic. What a shame there is no Hillel in Hampshire, or Chabad, for that matter.

I wonder? Would Hampshire College divest itself of American investments if the U.S. finally retaliated against Mexico for firing ten thousand rockets into Texas over an 8 year period? Probably... if it felt that Washington was run by a Jewish cabal.

My daughter will never go there. Ever.

The students at Hampshire College ought to walk over to their neighbor, the National Yiddish Book Center and take a look. They might learn something.

How about if Hampshire College looks into divesting from any company that invests in countries where Jews are not allowed to practice religious freedom? Or allowed to live at all? Or have been expelled? Or have been murdered and their property confiscated?

Hampshire leads again. Kudos.

Attorney Harold Burbank
Chair, The Bush Indictment Project

A good approach to an issue as complex and emotionally charged as this one is to go straight to the people it affects. In response to inquiries about the situation from actual participants from both sides, it is clear that there is a perpetual resentment among the vast majority of christian/muslim/secular Palestinians stemming from what they perceive as unfair treatment for the past 60 years (which sounds very similar to the complaints of native Afrikkaners in the '70s and '80s.) On the other side, there is a palpable air of condecension, derision, and self-righteousness that borders on racism. I have personally heard Palestinians referred to as "animals," "dirt," and "less than human," by people who in the same conservation purport to be supporters of "freedom" and "the only democracy in the Middle East." The difference? One side hates, and clearly articulates that hatred. The other side hates, and pathologically denies it. From a humanistic standpoint, both approaches are counterproductive and condemnable. Only one is truly despicable. Perhaps divestment is the best means to send that message.

Hampshire college is out of its mind and so is anybody who blames Israel for the plight of the Palestinians. When you elect a terrorist government (such as Hamas) as your leadership and you then fire a barrage of rockets into your neighbor's civilian populations you should expect they're going to react. And where is the oil-rich Arab world when it comes to helping the Palestinian population. Marie (above) is correct, everything about Hampshire college is insane - this just puts the icing on it.

Hampshire is a progressive school, and as such I applaud this move to restore sanity to the barbaric treatment to the civilians of Gaza. Notice the media cover-up of the devastation that has left Gaza's family's on the edge. No matter how pro-Israel supporters try to justify this murder of innocents, the Israeli military action against humanitarian efforts and a civilian population was wrong. The idea that 100 people from Gaza must die for every single Israeli is sick.

Don't know about you, but I ALWAYS rely on the investment opinions of 800 kids under 20. They're S-0-0-0-0-0 smart and experienced in world view.

Deborah,

It's that university prerogative to choose what kind of investments they want to make, in this case, they made a decision that is socially responsible in their views. You might not agree with it, but it is what it is.
Btw, for your information, Israel has borders with two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan, with whom they have signed peace treaties and are on friendly terms. It would help you if you stayed current on world affairs...

Bravo to the Hampshire College students for returning the College to the moral and ethical bases upon which it was built. Bravo to the Trustees for accepting International Human Rights law as a basis for reconfiguring their portfolio and expanding those concerns to the environment among other concerns. The students achieved an even broader effect than they initially raised. This is a model for other universities.

This is just wonderful news - Hampshire leads the way again to a better world where one day soon Jews and Palestinians can live together with dignity and respect enjoying equal rights and aspirations in a multi-cultural world and not divided on the grounds of ethnicity or religion. We can only pray that others in the US and elsewhere will foliow your example, so that there can be lasting peace without any further cruel and unnecessary pain and bloodshed.

How shameful for Hampshire college -- and more so for its students -- to make it into the news for such a racist, hateful reason. And how sad that, for the amount that the school charges in tuition, it evidently does not provide its students with either a proper education or a moral compass. Any literate adult with half a brain can see past the media circus and into what's really going on in the Middle East: Hamas using its citizens as human shields to augment the body count. And yet, Israel gets blamed. The Palestinians wanted a country of their own; they got it. And now Israel gets accused of apartheid. I agree that the Palestinians have a right to live peacefully within their borders, and yet, they refuse to do so. Throwing missles DAILY into Israel doesn't sound peaceful, does it? Neither does crossing into Israel to blow up a bus, a mall, or a cafe.

I wish people who care would take the time to read what really happened, and not react to the headlines one group or another writes to further their cause or to sell news. What "groundbreaking" is really going on here? That Hampshire Trustees take their own investment policy seriously enough to review it and decide to divest from a mega-mutual fund with holdings in over 200 companies they found violated it? Or that student voices, no matter how controversial can prompt a review? Maybe, but that is a far cry from what is being claimed. It is too bad that the symbolism connected to Hampshire is being used with little regard for the facts or the college.

As a Hampshire Alumna I am pleased to hear that the Board of Trustees of Hampshire College has expressly denounced SJPs claim that their investment decisions had anything to do with divestment from Israel. Divestment from Israel, based on it's right to defend it's people and to simply exist, is a ridiculous call especially in light of all the tradegies around the world today. Singling out Israel has to be questioned

If true -- and I tend to believe the University over the anti-Israel activists -- but IF true, it is shameful. The basic idea is that Israel doesn't have a right to defend itself and its citizens against suicide bombers and rockets. Actually, it's worse. The basic idea is that Israel, and ONLY Israel, doesn't have that right. The NATO strikes against Milosevic were hardly different, including in their effect on civilians, than Israel's strikes on Hamas. No divestment, no boycott, no rabid rhetoric. And how many civilians died as a result of the US/British/etc. Iraq war? No divestment there, either. So IF true, it's an immoral divestment, and an immoral double standard.

First, I would like to commend the university for doing this. Second, the State of Israel helped keep the apartheid regime of South Africa going on for a long time. It also trained South African military personnel, and they talked about how they had things in common. Israel also talks about separation from Arabs. They just use different terms down there, but it basically is the same animal. They talk about the violence of the Palestinians. Which group in the world has no violence when resisting a brutal occupation? Terrorism is wrong, but so is occupation.

I wish I had attended Hampshire sometimes. Congratulations for your strength Hampshire, keep up your history of excellence.

From what I heard, this decision of Hampshire College was based on over 200 violations of the school's ethical investment policies. And assuming I'm looking at the right fund perspectus, the fund Hampshire decided to includes investment in several energy companies such as Exxon, Chevron and Occidental Petrolium. Could it be that this decision had nothing to do with Israel, but was a rebuke to these companies for doing business in the Middle East, including the oil producing Arab nations that separately and together represent some of the most racist, sexist, homophobic, reactionary nations on the face of the earth?

Did any of the commenters besides Cynthia or cheryl read the article? The college did not divest from Israel. The administration has said repeatedly that this was not a political statement. They looked into State Street's use of their funds, on SJP's request, and found that they had been mismanaged. It's unfortunate and rather silly that SJP is claiming this as a triumph, when it doesn't actually signify anything besides that State Street mismanaged the college's money.

As a current Hampshire student, it's been fairly ridiculous watching people celebrate over this. The posters on campus are referring to this as a "historic victory." While I'm against the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza -- guys, come on. Congratulations on helping the college discover that their funds were being mis-used, but there is nothing historic about this.

For anyone making sweeping judgments about the college: (1) read the article again, (2) remember that only a tiny percentage of students are involved with this group and that the entire student body does not support divestment from Israel, and (3) by all means, continue disparaging the excellent education that I and many other students have received over the years.

Hampshire leads the way again!! I am so proud that I went there.

I wish the article more clearly stated earlier on that this is about socially responsible investing and not about being "anti-Israel." I am Jewish, raised in a Zionist family and still support equality for all including ending oppression of the Palestinian people.

Every argument that defends Israel can also be made by the English against the army of George Washington. Would you call him & his army terrorists too. They too were fighting to liberate themselves from occupation & they too were denounced as terrorists by the English. That's the nature of resistance to occupation & (neo)colonialism.
There is plenty of similarity with Apartheid South Africa as well. Well, except I am not sure if there were settler only roads inside occupied territories, road blocks everywhere, no direct trade missions with any foreign country, collective punishment & destruction of civlian infrastructure & massive loss of life in large scale aerial bombings during the apartheid regime of South Africa. I would say this is worse than South Africa apartheid years & just like the world eventually stood up then, it needs to now. Good job New Hampshire students, you made yourself count!!!!

What's so amusing is the assumption that everyone on campus supports this group. I go to Hampshire now, love Hampshire dearly, and like Ken Burns I believe Hampshire is "the most exciting place on earth", burning with intellectual passion from every conceivable direction--the pro-Israel group(s) seems to more or less fight SJP rather vehemently every time the latter makes any kind of move, for example, a fact not mentioned in the article and something you can only really know by going here. About 1400 students attend this school; remember the 600 who didn't sign the petition, and this article's readers should remember that there is a fire here burning brighter than many of you realize.

I'm also amused by the parents who don't want to send their kids here--if you want them to make money, send them to the Ivy Leagues; if you want them to find jobs, send them to a decent university; if you want them to think, send them to Hampshire.

Although I'm not practicing I consider myself a Jew, and although I'm not part of SJP I support an end to the seemingly perpetual violence in Israel/Palestine; and our divestment from the occupation is a clear sign, in my admittedly naive and humble mind, that the first day of peace is not so far off as many believe.

SJP (students for justice in palestine) DO NOT represent the overall Hampshire population AT ALL. Many of their signatures on the petition were collected under duress or false pretenses (including mine). They harassed people by the library, in the dining hall, and in some of the class buildings. They even put posters up all over dorm bathrooms. I personally put my name on a list that I was told was for people looking for more information on the conflict. The next time I saw the petition, there was my name!

These students SHOULD NOT represent Hampshire College and I am embarrassed to be associated with them.

It's interesting to notice that no matter how many times it's pointed out that the administration of Hampshire College has vigorously denied that this decision has anything to do with Israel, that divestment supporters continue to simply ignore this clearly verifiable truth and blithely congratulate the university for doing something it has stated in no uncertain terms that it did NOT do.

This strange behavior is understandable if you realize that divestment supporters are interested only in tricking an institution - any institution - into taking an action that they can portray as being in lock step with their agenda: to tie the legacy of Hampshire College (in this case) to their narrow, partisan message. This mission alone is what is important to them, with truth and the reputation of places like Hampshire simply irrelevant to their single-minded agenda.

I think it's funny how many people who posted comments here are supporting Israel by using products made in Israel, like the parts in my PC. I also wonder if these same people are completely literate, as they seem to have missed the point that the people who made the decision to divest from the fund, VIGOROUSLY DENY that this decision was motivated by decision to divest from Israel. The Globe should be ashamed of itself for it's misleading title. This student group should be brought before whatever the appropriate disciplinary panel for it's malicisous lies.

It is very sad that Hampshire College decided to cut ties with funds invested in Isarel. Everyone knows that Hamas fighters have hidden themselves behind the innocent Palestinian people and shot rocket and killed innocent Israelis. Hamas has been taunting and playing games with your conscience by their effective media propoganda. Yet pretend like they are the victim of Israel. It is so obvious that during those some 10 years the Hamas has rained down hundreds or thousands of rockets into Israel and where was Hampshire College? Why nothing then? Why now? Does Hampshire College has a moral ground? Or it has a double standard? If you have decided to keep your nose out the region then, then keep your nose out of it now. Hampshire College starts to smell stinkier than my excrement. Do you know why you are stinky that much? Because you have double standard. You support and promote terrorism. I guess the Hampshire College is full of Hamas terrorists lovers, huh!!!! This school for sure is unfit for good American children. It is good as a training ground for terrorists' children

This was a courageous act, obviously not popular by all--but I salute those
who have done their homework and were willing to insist on this nonviolent
response to the abusive occupation. It also is a shame the administration cant be as courageous and own it as the students do--and should!

Congratulations Hampshire College. Way to lead us towards justice and freedom FOR ALL! You were right in '77 and you're right in '09!

I am a PROUDLY JEWISH Hampshire Student, who knowingly (and gladly) signed this petition. I don't think that it was directly responsible for what happened, but I'm glad that our investments have been reallocated. I took time to read the demands made of the school, and signed on to the petition after thought and deliberation. I'm glad I did.

As a Jew who has a son living in Israel, SJB makes me sick. Also what is with the hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Why do Jews like SJB hate Israel so much that they side with the Palestianians? So she is a Zionist big deal! In my eyes she is a self-hating Jew; no better than the bashers of Israel.

Maybe the college students that startead the boycott should study the history of the Palestians and what Israel has done for them. Israel is not a perfect country; but, it has a right to stay in power.

What do you want Israel to do when rockets are being sent on basically daily basis into their country stand back and let the rockets hit them. and not doing anything about them . Yes America has the right to free speech; but, study the facts before you print hateful comments. What you think might just come back to haunt you in the future?

Wonder why the Board of Trustees is denying divesting in Israel. That's pretty unscrupulous of them.

Suggests to me that they were pressured into it like wimps. And they know in their hearts that it's wrong.

I hope Americans and others around the world opposing Islamist jihad don't get complacent about fighting the divestment trend.

Hey - Last night as I was sleeping, I had a fitful dream. I dreamed that I had left my wonderful Christian University in the South and was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of Hampshire College. This was WONDERFUL - now I have the opportunity to RESIGN from my associates on Hampshire's Board and those who take so lightly the measures of freedom and liberty which Israel is so valiantly striving for. Israel is only defending a free man's choice of life. Come on now - I can't wait for Mr. Netanyahu to return.

This message is for Deborah Savage who commented on this article - Deborah you have convenient myopic view of history.

Hampshire College is the only school in America run by people with values. The Israeli army and government has shamelessly killed Palestinian children with white phosphorous gas in the recent Gaza attacks and what I find surprising is that it is the only college to cut ties with Israel. Shame on all the other colleges in the US for not making the same decision. If you are against Hampshire College's decision then I can only assume that you enjoy watching innocent children burn to death, the way they did in January in Gaza at the mercy of the Israeli army and government.

Hmmm, is this hypocrisy? So pure, so pure, and these students would not defend themselves if rockets were lobbed at their houses in their home towns. So pure, and they would get out of Gaza and get nothing for it except more rockets lobbed at them, even though Israel left hothouses for the Gazans to use, and the Gazans cleverly looked a gift horse in the mouth and destroyed the hothouses.

I am appalled that Hampshire College would have taken this action, and then added to its error by lying about its act.
Knowlege of the history of Jewish Arab relations in Palestine would be helpful to the Hampshire students and unfortunately is also needed by those who made the decisions related to investments in Israel.
I suspect that the value of the Hampshire Endowment, even before the recent financial unwinding, was relatively small, simillar in scale to the level of wisdom that led to this decision.

As a proud gay Muslim convert ex Catholic I sa;ute you. I am praying to Allah that we will se more boycotts like this. Muhammed PBUH says that see and an ocean sede the tree and a forest and say to love Allah;s work.

A;;ah will be woth you, Hampshire, inshallah

As the Human Resources VP at a large hospital in the Bostn area, it is great to see what they are being fed over at Hampshire. I will no doubt let these views be known when Hampshire alumni come looking for employment. Please look elsewhere!!!

BRAVO! Keep up the pressure.

This issue needs to be put into perspective. I'll use California as an example, because that's where I am. Adapt this perspective to your own area. What if Britain had agreed to give half of California to the Zionists for them to establish a "Jewish State"? Take note that prior to UN involvement the Zionist's stated goal included all of California plus Nevada. Would Californians have agreed to the UN partitioning their land even if Nevada got to keep theirs? What if we didn't and the Zionists took it by force anyway? What if when we resisted we were bombed by an advanced military, and then labeled as "terrorists" for fighting back? What if the world sat back and just let it happen? The high mountain desert where I am would be our occupied West Bank, and LA our war torn Gaza strip. How would you explain sanctions and occupation to your kids? What if a nation like America funded and supported it? How do you explain that? What about the displaced people from San Fransisco, Sacramento, etc, do they ever get to go home? Who would your kids blame for all of the undue hardships in their lives?

I wish for the best for all the Jewish people, but not at someone else's expense. Israel's identity as a "Jewish State" can not take priority over justice. It's time for the world to stand up for Palestine, for justice, and the 'Right of Return'. Peace comes first, it is the only possible path. The rhetoric has to end and the correct conditions created. To move forward, peace and security for all the people is the only correct answer. It's time to set things straight, and make sure the whole situation is finally put into perspective. It's time for peace, and we're not backing down.

I thought college board of trustee members were made up of intelligent, lucid members setting clear models for faculty, staff and students. Members as those determining divestment decisions should either step down or go all the way with their warped policies. Might I suggest that PETA form a group and put pressure on these wise sages to divest all holdings having to do with animal cruelty and infringement on animal rights. Will all those trustees who eat meat please step down. Might this be the clarion call to all those actively seeking to control Pro-life programs worldwide. Go to Hampshire college. With a little student activism-- bingo---divestment in countries with planned parenthood.

here---a threat there---

What is the difference between the old european jewish ghettos and the ghettos of the indigenous people throughout Gaza? Americans pay for the
later with weapons,dollars and blood. America has supported these Zionist extremists for decades. Why did 9/11 happen? Why are we in Iraq? Why did Clinton, Edwards, Kerry, McCain,Bidden and other White House seekers all vote for a war that made no sense? We will be in Iraq for decades to come. Our presence helps to secure Israel and keeps Iran in check. It also makes their enemy ours.This school has taken a brave and worthwhile stand.

Hampshire leads again! I hope this gains momentum and brings citizen pressure on Israel to cease the inhumane onslaught onto the innocent civilians of Palestine. Apartheid is the only word for what Israel is doing - but worse in the extent of the slaughter. We learned in So Africa that economic pressure works. We need to publish widely the divestment that other institutions and even private investors can join in this ethical action.

When will people realize that we must support Israel at all costs. When homemade rockets cause uneasiness to Israel. Then we have every right to slaughter these crazy people. Gaza is a large prison of indigenous people that are in the way of a Zionist holy land. The West Bank is under control because of the many settlements and check points. To divest funds to punish Israel is not in the best intrest of our very dear ally. Hampshire Collage should be denied federal funding for this antisemetic action. The money saved could buy more cluster bombs for Israeli security.

Simply disgusting that the university should cave to a cabal of Israel haters (some of them Jewish, no less) and actually alter their financial policy. Evidently, European history is not high on the list of requirements at this school. These kids would mostly not exist were it not for their ancestors' escape from Europe and the countries on the Mediterranean. Now, from their comfortable upper class suburban homes, having never lived under religious oppression, they wage a kind of war on Israel, the country founded to be a refuge for the Jews.

Why can't these students do something productive and "collegiate" by sponsoring a debate on Israeli policies? Such a debate would no doubt attract some negative press as well, but nothing so bad as what Hampshire College has done to itself.

It's reminiscent of the late, lost Antioch College which caved to the radicals in the 1970s and 1980s and transformed itself from one of the nation's foremost progressive places of learning to a politically correct den of stupidity. Looks like Hampshire's on the same slippery slope.

Wow, maybe now Hamshire college can divest from any companies with business in Saudi Arabian and other moslem countries that treat women like chattle or the republic of Iran that hangs people for the crime of homosexuality, and how about any company involved in Sudan where millions have been murdered in Darfur, maybe Turkey with its campaign to ethnically cleanse the Kurds ah but well, not quite as emotionally provocative as Jews defending themselves from rocket attacks on their civillians. After all why should the world allow Jews to defend themselves? it didn't in WWII?

One has to wonder what the meaning of Apartheid is. If Israel is an Apartheid state, then why are their 11 Arab members of Knesset?
One has to wonder why there is no condemnation of the execution of Fatah by Hamas.
Why is it permissable for Hamas to lob rockets into Israel, but NOT in the reverse direction?
No one has addressed the use of tunnels to smuggle arms into Gaza.
And finally the real question is: Why is the Hamas spending all of its time, money and resources for rockets etc.?

Message #23 from Rich Pastore sums it up non-offensively, respectfully, perfectly. Thank you Hamshire, for your bravery.

I love the double-talk from the President that this isn't politically motivated, after receiving this request from Students for Justice in Palestine. It's hard to believe we're hearing this from a college, where people are supposed to be well-educated and informed. Or maybe this is a place that will only consider what's politically correct, instead of the facts.

How much money does Hampshire College have to invest?

I consider it very likely that this is what it appears: a politically motivated divestment targeted at Israel. Lightening occasionally strikes twice in the same place, but it is very rare. That this college was the first to divest from South Africa is too much of a coincidence. And, if the trustees really didn't want to leave the impression of a divestment, they could have made sure to reinvest in Israel some other way. That college big shots flat out lie about their political motives should surprise no one. Ideological zealots will do such things. Whether zealots should be running a college is a matter for the alumni who fund the college to decide--and the parents who would create another generation of such alumni.

Now to the main point. Let's consider the comment by Rich Pastore (#23). If one peels away the overblown and stilted rhetoric, one is left with two claims and a solution. The first claim is that both "sides" hate each other, but one side (the Israeli one) isn't forthright about it. Pastore concludes that this makes only one side's acts "despicable" and worthy of the "solution" of divestment. How exactly does Pastore justify this? Why should the racist hatred that the Arabs have against Jews not be worthy of the same "solution" as the alleged racist hatred of Jews for Arabs? Is the KKK less abominable because it declares its racism openly? Ah, but thinking in this way is evidently beyond the "humanism" of our Pastore. (Note that I don't agree one bit that the Israeli Jews are racist as a whole. Over half of them, by the way, are not even "European" (Ashkenazi) Jews.

Now let's turn to the other claim, which is that one can understand the goings on with the "Palestinians" in the language of Western humanism. How ethnocentric! Educated people know that there are many ways of understanding the same events, and if they try to interpret such events, they take into consideration the understandings of those who are actually participating. If our humanist actually knew something about Islam, he would know that this conflict is all about jihad. It is about the hatred that Islam has inculcated in all too many Muslims, and in nearly every Muslim in the "disputed territories" of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. Islam does not permit land that has been controlled by Muslims (Dar al-Islam) to be controlled later by non-Muslims. It does not matter that the land was Jewish before it was Muslim. It does not matter that the Ottoman's gave up this land under Balfour as result of the Ottoman breakup. It is Dar al-Islam. Even worse, the land was taken by the Jews that Mohammed so despised and hated, and, when the Muslims tried to murder all those Jews who were legally returned to their land, the Muslims were defeated. Appalling! THAT is why there can be no peace in the area. Islamic doctrine doesn't even permit peace treaties with the kafir at all, but only truces (for up to 10 years) to build up forces to defeat the non-Muslim. Now add to this that the loathed Jews "took" "Muslim" land, and you have a "grievance" indeed. But it is not one that can be resolved in Western terms because it is not based on Western concepts.

In case anyone at Hampshire actually wants to verify what I have said about Islam, there are plenty of sources. I recommend the books in the series by the Center for the Study of Political Islam, as these books are translations of the authoritative biographies of Mohammed (_Mohammed And the Unbelievers_), Mohammed's "sayings" (Hadith) (_The Political Traditions of Mohammed_), and the Koran itself (_A Simple Koran_). All of these are available on Amazon.

James Hoveland, we have that in the US. Ever hear of Indian reservations? I suppose you think the rez is really white mans land and we should fire rockets into them. Stop the illegal occupation done by the Native Americans.

Good for you. I am SOOOOO proud of you all! Palestine should have the right to live like any human being on this earth. :)

As parents of 2 students at Hampshire we are sick over this. We are embarrassed and mortified. The actions of the board have betrayed the trust we put into them. It is truly astonishing that such "intelligent" people could have made this plan. Did they have any idea of what they were doing? I can only believe that they completely understood their actions and if they didn't forsee where this would lead, well, perhaps that is worse.There is nothing I could write that could capture how horrible we feel about this. I would write more but I feel like this crazy decision that they made has brought such shame to the school....

As a Jew, I find Israel's action in Gaza appalling. Even if the board made the decision based on Israel's recent actions, I fully support them. My donation to Hampshire is in today's mail.

This is an offensive and harmful action on the part of Hampshire. I strongly support the statements made by Distinguished UMass Grad (post #24). If terrorists were striking the United States on a regular basis, would we have waited anywhere near as long to defend ourselves as Israel did? The fact that civilians were killed in the process is unfortunate, of course, but it is the terrorist leaders of Hamas that are to blame for so many of these deaths, hiding out in very populated areas and stockpiling weapons in schools and mosques.

Furthermore, the comparison of the situation in Gaza to that of South Africa is absolutely inaccurate. Israelis are not segregating themselves from the Palestinians and intentionally depriving them of their rights. In fact, Israel is routinely sending aid into Gaza despite the fact that the Palestinians would like to see Israel wiped off the map, and all of its citizens along with it. Israel is not suppressing part of their society in order to remain on top – it is defending itself in order to remain in existence. Hampshire’s plan of action is doing little more than making a point of denying a people a right to live in peace.

Wonderful news. I hope more institutions will follow.
It is sad that some institutions such as the university of Ottawa in Ottawa, Canada take opposite actions by firing a tenured professor because of his activism and his political oipinions.
I will also make a contribution to Hampshire.
I hope more will follow.

Naima
Alberta, Canada

This is a good beginning. For more than sixty years, the United States has given total impunity to Israel against prosecution for its war crimes. The young, less encumbered with worries of jobs, votes, advertisement revenues, to lose, are showing the way. I hope the leadership offered by students at Hampshire College will be contagious.

I suggest everyone who is anti-israel quit using their respective computers or laptops immediately due to the fact that many of its parts have been created in Israel. Additionally please do not use any modern cellphone- as they too were created by Israeli's. If your computer catches a virus..please do not install anti-spyware because that technology was created by the Israeli intelligence. Therefore, I am going to start a petition at Hampshire to fully remove any technology available to them, because many of those profits are directed back to Israel.

It is so sad to see "educated" people come to such uneducated conclusions. The students of Hampshire College need to learn from unbiased and ethical Muslims who are afflicted by Islamic extremists such as India's Muslim community that recently experienced a gunning down of 170 people in Mumbai by terrorists. India's Muslim community is calling these gunmen "murderers" and not "martyrs" and is not allowing them to be buried in the main Muslim cemetery in Mumbai. The reason being is that they understand that killing of innocent people is not a Muslim belief and have found enough sense to see the reality and stand up to their own! Whereas the Hampshire College students are daring to compare Israel to an apartheid, obviously refusing to see the suffering of the Israeli people and their right to protect their citizens from terrorists and daily bombings. The bias and blindness of this College is shameful! How about if I help bring it close to home, assume that America was bombed daily by Mexico and America finally decides to fight back, would you then stop giving America money and call it an apartheid?? These students are ignorant and have no perception into the scope of the matter as shown by their ease of brushing off Israel's daily suffering and numerous solutions offered to Palestinians by the Israelis just as long as they in turn only accept the Israeli people and the Israeli state. I applaud the Indian Muslims and am so embarrassed by Hampshire's racist decisions.

Students at Hampshire college can't think straight. I see some of the names of the talk-backs to this article; many self loathing Jews.

Hurrah for Hampshire! I'm proud to be a future student there, and proud that there is an institution that supports critical, well-informed and independent thinking. It's impressive that this school is taking in a wholesome view of history, rather than snipets of events and facts that are much more easy, convenient, and pleasant to bask in.

The truth is tough to face, but well worth it.

:)

Of course, what a great site and informative posts, I will add backlink - bookmark this site? Regards, Reader.