Sign the SAIA Toronto Divestment Petition HERE

On Monday March 7, the first night of Israeli Apartheid Week 2011, Students Against Israeli Apartheid, at the University of Toronto and York University officially launched a campaign demanding that their respective universities divest from four companies involved in violations of Palestinian human rights and Israeli Apartheid.  Investments in BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Hewlett Packard have been found in the University of Toronto’s Pension Master Trust, Long Term Capital Appreciation Pool, and Expendable Funds Investment Pool, as well as in York University’s Pension and Endowment Funds. The complicit companies create military technologies used in the murder of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure and the daily humiliation of Palestinians. Just under two decades ago York University was one of the first to divest from South African Apartheid; U of T was shamefully one of the last.

The entire week of IAW events, including guest lectures from Judith Butler, Ali Abunimah, Judy Rebick and Riham Barghouti, focussed on institutional complicity and the importance of the campus as a site of resistance. All of the week’s speakers have signed on to our divestment campaign in the spirit of holding our universities accountable to their purported commitment to the “vigilant protection of human rights”.

Join these renowned intellectuals and social justice activists, in addition to over 100 faculty members who have already signed on, to demand that our universities do the right thing and take action to divest now!

Please sign our petition below and encourage your organization, union or club to stand with us against our universities’ complicity in human right’s violations against Palestinians.

We thank you for your support.

View our Divestment Trailer:

View Our Divestment Reports on the SAIA Toronto Website

Sign Our Divestment Petition Here

Students Against Israeli Apartheid (University of Toronto and York University) Divestment Petition

Whereas on March 7^th, 2011, Students Against Israeli Apartheid at the University of Toronto and York University published divestment reports entitled “Holding the University of Toronto Accountable” and “Holding York University Accountable,” respectively;

Whereas BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Hewlett Packard and Lockheed Martin provide military and/or information technologies that contribute in specific ways to violations of international law by the Israeli state;

Whereas the investments of the University of Toronto and York University in these four companies makes them complicit in the commission of crimes under international law;

Whereas the University of Toronto and York University also violate their own stated commitments to values of human rights and social justice by investing in these four companies;

Whereas all people and organizations, including the University of Toronto and York University, are bound by the principles of international law; and

Whereas public universities, including the University of Toronto and York University, have a special responsibility to work with students, faculty, and staff to undergo a democratic and transparent process to ensure accountability to principles of social and environmental justice;

Therefore we, the undersigned, demand that:

(1) The University of Toronto and York University divest from and refuse to reinvest in BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Hewlett Packard and Lockheed Martin;

(2) The University of Toronto and York University refrain from investing in all companies involved in violations of international law. With respect to Palestine, this entails following the guidelines put forth by Students for Justice in Palestine in the historic divestment by Hampshire College:

The University of Toronto and York University should refrain from investing in companies that:

a)     Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance of the Israeli military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights;

b)    Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories;

c)     Establish facilities or operations in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories;

d)    Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and construction of the Wall;

e)     Provide products or services that contribute to violent acts that target either Israeli or Palestinian civilians.

Signed by:

·      Nahla Abdo, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University

·      Baha Abu-Laban, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, University of Alberta

·      Yasmeen Abu-Laban, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta

·      Nadia Abu-Zahra, Assistant Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa

·      Ali Abunimah, author and journalist

·      Mary Louise Adams, Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen’s University

·      Greg Albo, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, York University

·      Tariq Amin-Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Politics, Ryerson University

·      Sedef Arat-Koc, Associate Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University

·      Feyzi Baban, Associate Professor, Politics Department, Trent University

·      Abigail B. Bakan, Professor, Political Studies, Queen”s University

·      Omar Barghouti, Founding member of the global BDS Campaign and PACBI

·      Riham Barghouti, Founding member of Adalah-NY

·      Darin Barney, Canada Research Chair in Technology & Citizenship, Department of Art History & Communication Studies, McGill University

·      Roger Beck, Professor Emeritus, Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga

·      Deborah Brock, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, York University

·      Jenny Burman, Associate Professor, Department of Art History and Communication Studies, McGill University

·      Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor,  Departments of Rhetoric and Comparative Literature, University of California, Berkeley

·      James Cairns, Assistant Professor, Contemporary Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford

·      David Camfield, Associate Professor, Labour Studies Program, University of Manitoba

·      Dominique Caouette, Associate Professor, Département de science politique, Université de Montréal

·      Aziz Choudry, Assistant Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University

·      David Clandfield, Professor Emeritus, Department of French and New College, University of Toronto

·      Deborah Cook, Department of Philosophy, University of Windsor

·      Deborah Cowen, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University of Toronto

·      Howard S. Davidson, Associate Professor, Extended Education,University of Manitoba

·      Chandler Davis, Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics and New College, University of Toronto

·      Kari Dehli, Professor, Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, OISE University of Toronto

·      Michel Desjardins, Professor, Department of Religion and Culture, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      John Dugard,South African Professor of International Law, Author, former judge on the International Court of Justice

·      Peter Eglin, Professor, Department of Sociology, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      Peter Fitting, Professor Emeritus, French and Cinema Studies, University of Toronto

·      Sue Ferguson, Assistant Professor, Journalism  and Contemporary Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford

·      Margot Francis, Assistant Professor, Women’s Studies/Sociology, Brock University

·      Gavin Fridell, Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Political Studies, Trent University

·      Doreen Fumia, Associate Professor, Sociology, Ryerson University

·      Grace-Edward Galabuzi, Associate Professor, Department of Politics, Ryerson University

·      Dina Georgis, Assistant Professor, Women and Gender Studies, University of Toronto

·      Amanda Glasbeek, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Science, York University

·      Harry Glasbeek, Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University

·      Kanishka Goonewardena,  Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Program in Planning, University of Toronto

·      Todd Gordon, Contract Faculty, Department of Political Science, York University

·      Kevin A. Gould, Assistant Professor, Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University

·      John Greyson, Associate Professor: Production, Department of Film, York University

·      Laam Hae, Assistant Professor, Political Science, York University

·      Paul A. Hamel, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

·      Jens Hanssen, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Toronto

·      Michelle Hartman, Associate Professor, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University

·      Amir Hassanpour, Professor, Department of Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto

·      David Heap, Associate Professor, French Studies Dept. & Linguistics Program, University of Western Ontario

·      Rob Heynen, Contract Faculty, Department of Political Science, York University

·      Adrienne Carey Hurley, Assistant Professor, East Asian Studies, McGill University

·      Steve Jordan, Associate Professor, Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University

·      Ilan Kapoor, Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University

·      Ali Kazimi, Associate Professor, Department of Film, York University

·      Paul Kellogg, Assistant Professor, Centre for Integrated Studies, Athabasca University

·      Kamala Kempadoo, Professor, Department of Social Science, York University

·      Muhammad Ali Khalidi, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, York University

·      Shahnaz Khan, Women and Gender Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      Gary Kinsman, Professor, Department of Sociology, Laurentian University

·      Stefan Kipfer, Associate Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University

·      Anna Kruzynski, Assistant Professor, School of Community and Public Affairs, Concordia University

·      Atif Kubursi, Professor Emeritus, Department of Economics, McMaster University

·      Clarice Kuhling, Lecturer/Contract Faculty, Department of Sociology and Department of Contemporary Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      Alex Latta, Assistant Professor, Department of Global Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      Abby Lippman, Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University

·      Margaret Little, Full Professor, Gender Studies/ Political Studies, Queen”s University

·      Ken Loach, filmmaker

·      Rashmi Luther, Lecturer, School of Social Work, Carleton University

·      Linzi Manicom, Lecturer, New College Service Learning, University of Toronto

·      Ruth Marshall, Assistant Professor, Dept. for the Study of Religion / Dept. of Political Science, University of Toronto

·      Sara Matthews, Assistant Professor, Department of Global Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      J.J. McMurtry, Associate Professor, Business and Society Program, York University

·      David McNally, Professor, Political Science, York University

·      Anne Meneley, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Trent University

·      Rod Michalko, Lecturer, New College, & Adjunct Professor (University of Toronto) and Critical Disability Studies, School of Health Management & Policy (York University)

·      Kiran Mirchandani, Associate Professor, OISE, University of Toronto

·      Dieter Misgeld. Professor emeritus, Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto

·      Shahrzad Mojab, Professor, Dept. of Adult Education/Counselling Psychology, OISE-University of Toronto

·      Colin Mooers, Professor and Director, Graduate Program in Communication and Culture, Ryerson University

·      Mary-Jo Nadeau, Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Mississauga

·      Sheryl Nestel, Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Equity Studies, OISE/UT

·      Melanie Newton, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Toronto

·      Maria-Belén Ordóñez, Course Director, Department of Anthropology,York University

·      Margaret Pappano, Associate Professor, Department of English, Queen’s University

·      Anthony Paré, Professor, Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University

·      Alejandro Paz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Humanities, University of Toronto Scarborough

·      Garry Potter, Department of Sociology, Wilfrid Laurier University

·      Judy Rebick, Instructor, Ryerson University

·      James A. Reilly, Professor, Modern Middle East History, Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto

·      Stephanie Ross, Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Work and Labour Studies Programme,

Department of Social Science, York University

·      Reuben N. Roth, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Director, Labour Studies Program, Laurentian University

·      E. Natalie Rothman, Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities,  University of Toronto Scarborough

·      Ariel Salzmann, Associate Professor, Islamic and World History, Department of History,  Queen”s University

·      John S. Saul, Professor Emeritus of Social and Political Science, York University and FRSC

·      Alan Sears, Associate Professor, Sociology, Ryerson University

·      Bill Skidmore, Instructor, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies (Human Rights), Carleton University

·      Harry Smaller, Associate Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, York University

·      Jesook Song, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto

·      Susan Spronk, Assistant Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa

·      Daiva Stasiulis, Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University

·      Sunera Thobani, Associate Professor, Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies, Director, RAGA Centre, University of British Columbia

·      David P. Thomas, Assistant Professor, Department of Politics & International Relations, Mount Allison University

·      Mark Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, York University

·      Steve Tufts, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, York University

·      Alissa Trotz, Associate Professor, Women and Gender Studies, University of Toronto

·      Salim Vally, Senior Lecturer, University of Johannesburg

·      Rinaldo Walcott, Associate Professor, Sociology and Equity Studies in Education, OISE University of Toronto

·      Cynthia Wright, contract faculty, School of Women’s Studies, York University

·      b.h. Yael, Professor, Integrated Media, Faculty of Art, OCAD University

·      Anna Zalik, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University

·      Jasmin Zine, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology & Muslim Studies Option; Director, Cultural Analysis & Social Theory (CAST) M.A Program, Wilfrid Laurier University

Organizations

·      F4P – Faculty for Palestine (Canada)

·      PSC – Palestine Solidarity Campaign, South Africa

·      USACBI – U.S. Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel

·      BRICUP- British Committee for Universities for Palestine

For more information, get in touch: toronto.divests@gmail.com