I received this letter from a friend today:

Last week the UC Berkeley Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) Student Senate voted overwhelmingly, 16-4, to pass a divestment bill that targets two US companies, General Electric and United Technologies, which supply military equipment to the Israeli army that were used in operations in the Gaza Strip that have been investigated and classified as possible war crimes by the UN Human Rights Commission Goldstone Report, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International among others.

This historic development at UCB in the international struggle for Palestinian human rights is in danger of being reversed after the ASUC student president recently received a barrage of emails urging him to veto the bill before the one week deadline, Wednesday at 7pm (Pacific time). Please take the time to write a short message of support to the ASUC president for the democratic process that the ASUC senate engaged in, and urge him NOT TO VETO THIS BILL. Including group affiliations or any other information you think would be relevant is encouraged. Below is also a template email if you would prefer to use that. It doesn’t matter if you are affiliated with UC Berkeley or not. Thank you for your support!!

Send to president@asuc.org and also cc senate@asuc.org

Subject: DO NOT veto the divestment resolution

Dear President Smelko,

I am writing to urge you to NOT VETO the divestment resolution, which calls for divestment from two companies which directly support the Israeli occupation and war crimes in Palestine. These bills call for the end of University funding to Israel’s military arsenal and the weapons that it uses in committing the war crimes recognized by international law and the United Nations. This divestment action builds on the legacy at UC Berkeley to fight systems of oppression and apartheid. In 1984, UC students held the banner of the divestment movement from South African apartheid. UC has also divested from tobacco companies, and carefully scrutinized products potentially coming from sweatshop labor.

This bill will further the efforts to keep the university accountable and responsible for the investments it makes. In a time of economic crisis, and underfunding of our education with budget cuts, it is crucial we show that we as students do not support our tuition funding military occupation. I sincerely hope that you can see the truth in this struggle and help further it.