OUR STATEMENT

A great university must champion diversity and cultivate a tradition of civil discourse and engagement on complex issues and conflicts.

Watching the latest needless suffering of Palestinians and Israelis, we suffer with them. A just and lasting peace can only emerge by building trust through mutual respect and by recognizing the aspirations of two peoples, both with legitimate claims for a sovereign homeland.

We recognize the aspirations of the Palestinian people and we support Israel’s right to exist in peace and to protect its citizens. Denying Israel the right to defend itself from thousands of rockets launched by Hamas is to deny its right to exist. The one-sided “CUNY Community Statement of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” seeks to shut down discussion by condemning Israel for defending itself.

The inflammatory language of this statement creates a hostile environment at CUNY, particularly for Jewish students, many of whom have been threatened and harassed by activists who seek to delegitimize Israel. It is CUNY’s responsibility to ensure the security and safety for all students.

We therefore reject calls for an academic or cultural boycott of Israel and urge the CUNY community to engage in informed, respectful, and civil conversation on conflicts at home, in the Middle East, and around the world. The university must make the safety of students a priority so that verbal threats do not lead to physical violence when students return to campus this fall.

SIGNATURES