SWC Condemns Vote by UCLA Student Government to Support Anti-Israel BDS

February 21, 2024

Today, the Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned a vote by UCLA student government to support BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) against Israel.

In response to this decision by the UCLA’s student government, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC Associate Dean and Global Social Action Director said, “UCLA students have embraced the anti-Semitic BDS (Boycott Divestment & Sanctions) movement, a global campaign that has one goal in mind: demonizing and hurting the lone Jewish State-Israel. It was never designed to help a single Palestinian and never has. SWC urges the UCLA Administration, UC Regents and California Governor Gavin Newsom to denounce this vote, particularly divisive as it comes as Israel still struggles to free hostages kidnapped by the Hamas terrorists on October 7th and still mourns the largest mass murder of Jews in a single day since the Nazi Holocaust. Pro-Hamas campaigners and hypocritical NGOs and diplomats and jurists thrust the victim—Israel-- in the docket of accused genocidal killers, while providing mass murdering, raping, kidnapping, hostage taking Hamas terrorists a lifeline to the future so they can resume and expand their goal of the elimination of the Jewish people. SWC joins with renowned Dr. Judea Pearl in emphasizing that Zionism is a core historical value of the Jewish people and that Zionists on the faculty and student body must be respected and protected from intimidation and demonization.”

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

About the Simon Wiesenthal Center:

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).