The A.S. Council was under pressure last night to come to a conclusion on the hotly contested Gaza resolution, with hundreds of students filing into the meeting to offer pro- and anti-resolution statements. A week after being instructed to draft a joint resolution by the A.S. Council, students from both sides of the debate gathered at last night’s meeting to voice support and concerns over the newly-amended document.
Due to the Monday’s ceasefire in Gaza, the scheduled meeting to draft a joint resolution was cancelled, but the Students for Justice in Palestine remained confident that the amended resolution was fair, citing supporters among UCSD student groups and faculty.
‘This is a resolution sponsored by a coalition of students and the ethnic studies department at UCSD,’ Arab Student Union President Rena Zuabi said. ‘It is your responsibility as educated members of society to call upon your government to address the grievances of a people. I implore you to stand for this diverse community, to stand alongside your fellow UC schools.’
UCLA student Randa Wahbe and co-author of UCLA’s own resolution on the matter, which was recently approved, spoke on behalf of a UC-wide coalition of various humanitarian student groups in support of passing the resolution at UCSD, calling the situation in Gaza a ‘humanitarian crisis, not a political issue.’ She continued by reading an open letter written by Michael Provence, UCSD associate professor of history, in support of the resolution.
‘I write to endorse the statement of the undergraduate students of the ASUCSD who have called for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,’ Provence wrote. ‘As the resolution eloquently concludes, only by ending the humanitarian blockade can the healing process begin for both Palestinians and Israelis.’
Those opposed to the resolution, however, described the document as an attack on Israelis and many requested the council to remain neutral in the Gaza situation to eliminate the inevitable alienation of one group.
‘I am asking you to remain neutral on this issue to avoid an extreme hit to the feelings of value and belonging of the pro-Israel members of our community,’ former A.S. member Adi Singer said. ‘A.S. Council, please respect our desire to work on negotiating inner-community peace before tackling international conflict.’
The public input portion ended abruptly despite a long line before the podium. Revelle College Senator Katie Hall motioned to allow members of the public to be placed on the speaker’s list and the council agreed.
Councilmembers expressed grief over the situation in Gaza, but were divided over the council’s authority to take a stance, hesitant to make any hasty decisions.
‘I still don’t agree that this is what A.S. does,’ Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Lana Blank said. ‘We’re here to talk about two communities that don’t agree and we’re not going to be the group that says you’re right, we’re wrong. If this is what A.S. does, I don’t want to be a part of it.’
After nearly four hours of discussion, the council voted not to pass the resolution. Vice President of Student Life Darryl Nousom motioned to create a special committee instructed to draft a new resolution to be presented to the council Feb. 4. The committee will consist of Associate Vice President of Diversity Ricsie Hernandez and Revelle College Council Chair John Lintern as moderators, two other councilmembers and four members each from both the pro- and anti-resolution constituencies.