Exclusive | Student leaders at CUNY grad school pass anti-Israel resolution that bans spending on products like Sabra hummus, Starbucks

The CUNY Graduate Center’s student government approved a boycott resolution to bar student activity fees from being used to buy goods “that support or benefit from the US-backed Israeli occupation of Palestine” — a move blasted by critics as antisemitic and illegal.The boycott list includes Sabra brand hummus and related products, Starbucks coffee, food and drinks from McDonald’s, Burger King, Papa Johns and “fruits or vegetables grown in Israel.”Other blacklisted items include HP computers and printers, Siemens appliances, Sodastream equipment or products and Ahava cosmetics, according to the resolution adopted last Friday by the The Graduate Center’s Doctoral and Graduate Students Council (DGSC).    The boycott also covers “events or publications that cooperate with or promote Israeli academic institutions.”The edict — passed in a 31 to 8 vote with 5 abstentions — takes effect Nov.

1.“DGSC does not allow its resources or the student fees it manages to be used in connection with products or services that support or benefit from the US-backed Israeli occupation of Palestine,” the resolution said.  The student council said it will add a statement to reimbursement forms, grant forms, and roomreservations about the boycott.“Violation of this policy may result in DGSC canceling or revoking resources,” the student council said.The resolution drew rebuke from current and former members of academia.“It’s an absolute violation.

You can’t have Jewish students pay for fees used for prejudicial activity against them,” said former longtime CUNY board of trustees member Jeffrey Wiesenfeld.He added, “Absolutely 100 percent it’s antisemitic.”Brooklyn College science professor David Seidemann said the resolution appears to violate the free speech rights of students who support Israel or disapprove of using their dollars to support an anti-Israel boycott.“First, the student government is funded by money that is raised and dis...