Divestment from Companies Abusing Human Rights in violation of International Law in Israel & the Occupied Territories: Petition to the Board of Trustees of Stanford University
We, the undersigned, call upon Stanford to take the proper steps to ensure that the university does not invest in companies that violate international law, abuse human rights and support apartheid (see ‘why divest’ for more information on the current situation and the role of corporations in promoting such practices). In particular, we petition the Board of Trustees to ensure investment responsibility by divesting from companies that fit one or more of the following criteria:
- Provide military support or weaponry to support Israel’s occupation forces in the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights, Sheeba Farms, and East Jerusalem in violation of United Nations Resolution 242 that notes “the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war” and which calls for “the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from occupied territories.” (rationale here. example target company: Lockheed Martin)
- Support the building or maintenance of the ‘separation barrier’ that Israel has built in the West Bank, which was deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice (the highest legal body in the world, whose statute all UN members are parties to). (rationale here. example target company: Cement Roadstone Holdings)
- Operate on illegally occupied land and within Jewish-only settlements in contravention of Article 49, paragraph 6 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which states that the “occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into territories it occupies.” (rationale here. example target company: Veolia Transport)
- Facilitate home demolition, land confiscation, or other acts of collective punishment, as documented by Amnesty International and the International Committee of the Red Cross. (rationale here. example target company: Caterpillar)
- Engage in practices that institutionally discriminate against people of a specific race, religion, or ethnicity. (rationale here)
Given that divestment helped end systematic apartheid in South Africa and greatly advanced the dialogue on human rights violations in the Sudan, we believe that it can generate the pressure to bring the Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table and produce peace. We remind the Board of Trustees of Stanford’s Code of Conduct, which requires the university “to ensure we fulfill our legal and ethical obligations… to persons outside Stanford,” and Stanford’s founding grant, which stipulates that the objectives of the university include “promot[ing] the public welfare by exercising an influence on behalf of humanity and civilization."
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
To sign:
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” The signatories page has been removed from Google's index (so any search on your name will not point to this page); however, if you still have concerns about lending your support to the petition, we encourage you to consider signing with your initials rather than not at all.- Stanford students/faculty/staff click here (SUNet ID required).
- Stanford alumni click here (stanfordalumni.org email required)
- Community members click here (open to all).
To view signatories: click here.
To send this petition to your friends, click here.
News
Israel, Palestine, & Apartheid: Prof. 'John Dugard - October 14th @ 7:30 PM in Braun Lecture Hall (Mudd chemistry). Flyer
Why should you care?
$2 billion of American taxpayer money goes to Israel every year, funding their military occupation. Stanford, in particular, potentially invests in companies that are involved in the violation of human rights and international law.
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