The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today applauded the recent decision by Rutgers University’s faculty unions to divest from corporations involved in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.
In a democratic process, members of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT and the Adjunct Faculty Union voted in favor of a resolution calling for the university to withdraw investments from companies that profit from, engage in, or contribute to the oppression of Palestinians. The resolution also urges the university to suspend all academic collaborations with Tel Aviv University.
It stated in part:
“Rutgers University should suspend its 2021 memorandum of agreement with Tel Aviv University (regarding the New Jersey Innovation and Technology Hub) and disallow any future collaboration on Israeli military or intelligence technology…Perform a comprehensive review of the university’s endowment to identify and terminate investments supporting Israeli state and military operations, Israel’s settler colonialism, apartheid, and genocide of occupied Palestine territories and the Palestinian people.”
SEE: Outcome of the Member Vote on Divestment
In a statement, CAIR NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“We commend the Rutgers faculty unions for taking a principled stand against human rights violations by the far-right government of indicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu. This decision reflects a growing recognition of the need to hold corporations accountable for their involvement in the oppression of Palestinians. We hope this action inspires other academic institutions to examine their investments and partnerships to ensure they are not complicit in human rights abuses and genocide.”
CAIR has consistently supported initiatives that promote justice and human rights for all people. The organization views the Rutgers faculty unions’ vote as a positive step toward aligning the university’s investments with ethical standards and international human rights principles.
CAIR encourages other universities and institutions to follow Rutgers’ example by reevaluating their financial involvements and ensuring they do not support or enable human rights violations.
In August, CAIR launched its Unhostile Campus Campaign, a project aimed at fostering a campus environment where Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, faculty, and staff opposing the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza enjoy free speech and academic freedom and are not subjected to state force or university discipline due to their viewpoints.
The list of hostile campuses designated as “institutions of particular concern” by CAIR include GWU, UCLA, Emory University, Columbia University, UT Austin, Northwestern University, Pomona College, U-Mich, UGA, UChicago, Swarthmore College, Case Western Reserve University, and Portland State University.
Students, staff, and faculty who wish for their university or college campus to be considered as a potential “institution of particular concern” should complete the form linked below.
SEE: Report a Hostile Campus to CAIR
The organization adds in a disclaimer that the new form is intended solely to inform CAIR’s UnHostile Campus Campaign. Students, faculty, and affiliates seeking CAIR’s legal and advocacy services should continue to contact their local office or chapter, or in the event that there is no local chapter, file a formal report with CAIR’s National Civil Rights Department.
CAIR’s mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: Aya Elamroussi, CAIR-NJ Communications Manager, aelamroussi@cair.com, 551-208-5482