The union representing professors at the City University of New York approved a resolution last week in support of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.
The statement approved by CUNY’s Professional Staff Congress on Jan. 23 told its pension system that it supports “complete disinvestment from Israel.”
In addition, the PSC also said it will “divest its own funds from any investment vehicle that includes in its portfolio stocks and bonds of Israeli companies and Israeli government bonds no later than the end of January 2026.”
The resolution, which passed narrowly — 73 votes in favor to 70 votes against — slammed Israel’s bombing of Gaza and the killing of thousands of civilians.
But the statement makes no mention of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel when Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people in the Jewish State and took scores of hostages — triggering Israel’s response and effectively ending the war.
The resolution also omits the current cease-fire agreement and Hamas’ release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel — and that the US State Department considers Hamas a foreign terrorist organization.
The PSC resolution cites the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes, the International Court of Justice’s opinion that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is unlawful and its preliminary finding that there is a “plausible claim that genocide is occurring in Gaza.”
In the resolution, the PSC noted that the Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York of which it is part, has direct investments of $100 million and $115 million respectively in Israeli companies and government bonds.
The union also said it will create a volunteer committee to investigate whether “further divestment is appropriate and feasible.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul blasted the resolution and noted she signed an executive order to divest public funds from institutions that support the BDS movement against Israel.
“In my first week as governor, I signed an executive order to divest public funds from institutions that participate in the harmful BDS movement — and that order remains in effect,” Hochul said.
“I strongly oppose the resolution narrowly passed by the PSC-CUNY delegates and will continue standing up against antisemitism and hate in all forms.”
In June of 2021, the CUNY professors’ union passed a one-sided resolution rebuking Israel for attacks on Palestinians — indicating then it may support the movement to boycott and divest from the Jewish state down the road.
The latest resolution is just the latest bashing of the Jewish State by CUNY professors and students.
In 2022, professors at CUNY’s Law School also passed a resolution in support of the BDS movement against Israel.
Students, joined by some professors, disrupted and even vandalized some CUNY campuses with anti-Israel protests over the past year.
An independent probe commissioned by Hochul and released last September found that CUNY needs a top-to-bottom overhaul to combat “alarming’’ antisemitism fanned by its own faculty and do-nothing higher-ups.
Read the full article here
