Michigan Students Reject Israel Divestment by 25-9 Vote
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An Israel divestment resolution was defeated at the University of Michigan while a similar measuer was narrowly passed a second time by the student government of Chicago’s Loyola University.
The Central Student Government of the University of Michigan reversed a decision to postpone indefinitely consideration of a divestment resolution and then voted down the resolution.
The vote, in front of hundreds of students, was 25-9 with five abstentions, the Michigan Daily reported.
More than 2,000 students watched a live-stream of the six hour meeting as well, according to the student newspaper
Loyola United Student Government Association first passed a resolution on March 19 calling on the university evening to remove its holdings from eight companies that provide equipment to Israel for use in the West Bank. The vote on a measure proposed by the Loyola chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine passed 26-0 with two abstentions.
On Tuesday night the resolution was put to a revote. The resolution passed by a vote of 12 to 10 with nine abstentions.
Student government President Pedro Guerrero can still veto the resolution, but the student senate ii be able override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote. If the approval remains in place, the resolution becomes the official position of the student body and is presented to the administration.
The university in a statement issued last week said the resolution is not its position and it has not adopted the proposal.
“As a university, we welcome open dialogue and debate on differing points of view,” the statement said. “Proposals like this one benefit from broader campus discussion.”
Pro-Israel students have been assisted in their efforts to overturn the measure by the Metro Chicago Hillel and the Israel Education Center.
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