Anti-Israel Resolution Fails at University of Maryland

An anti-Israel resolution at the University of Maryland — that was scheduled for a vote during Passover — failed on Wednesday after a five-hour debate among members of the school’s student government and campus community.

University of Maryland’s (UMD) student government struck down an anti-Israel resolution — formally known as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement — on Wednesday, according to the school’s student newspaper, the Diamondback. The vote was held during Passover, a Jewish holiday.

“The timing of this resolution is insensitive given that many Jewish students will be away from campus and celebrating the intermediary days of the holiday when the vote takes place,” said UMD Hillel staff member Elan Burman before the vote took place, according to a report by Jewish News Syndicate.

The report had also noted that UMD’s Young Democratic Socialists of America was one of the student groups in support of the anti-Israel “BDS” resolution.

The BDS resolution — which urged the university to boycott companies that do business with Israel — was struck down by a student government vote of 25-9 and two abstentions after a five-hour debate with more than 400 students in attendance.

While these BDS resolutions — supported by members of Congress such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), known for continuously making anti-Semitic remarks — have been an issue manifesting on college campuses across the county, not all campus communities are readily submitting to the anti-Israel tactics.

“We are very proud of the students at UMD who once again stood up against this campaign of hatred and propaganda,” said Rena Nasar, the managing director of campus affairs for the pro-Israel group, StandWithUs, “BDS has no place on campus and has only served to divide students and damage efforts to bring Israelis and Palestinians together.”

StandWithUs had also noted that over 1,000 students had signed a petition opposing the BDS resolution, adding that the student government’s vote “ensures that the voices of UMD students will not be used to promote the global boycott movement, which seeks to eliminate Israel and violate the rights of the Jewish people to self-determination.”

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