The teacher’s union in the San Diego Community College District approved an anti-Israel resolution on September 6.
The Times of San Diego reported that the resolution condemned “the forced removal of Palestinian residents in West Jerusalem, the bombing of civilian areas in the besieged Gaza Strip, and the continued human rights violations committed by the Israeli government during its 73-year occupation of this land.” The resolution also denounced “anti-semitic violence” but claimed that “condemning Israel for its ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, occupation, apartheid and war crimes is not anti-semitism.”
“We urgently call on our government to put an end to the occupation and oppression of Palestinian people, and we call on the White House and the Department of State to hold Israel accountable for its complete disregard of international law and a prompt reassessment of military aid to Israel,” the resolution stated. “Only when Israel treats Palestinians inside Israel as equal citizens, recognizes the right of the Palestinian refugees to return, and the right of the Palestinians to live free of colonization and occupation, will there be hope for peace and reconciliation in historic Palestine.”
Jewish groups criticized the union.
“Denying the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in its ancestral homeland is antisemitic,” the American Jewish Committee tweeted. “This hateful resolution must be withdrawn.”
.@SDCCD's teachers and staff union has approved an anti-Israel resolution that questions 🇮🇱’s right to exist.
Denying the Jewish people's right to self-determination in its ancestral homeland is antisemitic.
This hateful resolution must be withdrawn.https://t.co/mi3yFV4xkh
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) September 13, 2021
The Simon Wiesenthal Center also tweeted that the passage of the resolution was “antisemitism on full display.” “This is what a teachers union does? Replacing history and respect with lies and hate demonizing and endangering our children.”
.#Antisemitism on full display. This is what a teachers union does? Replacing history and respect with lies and hate demonizing and endangering our children. https://t.co/YTOLnzab9g
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) September 13, 2021
StandWithUs issued a statement on September 11 saying they were “deeply disturbed” by the resolution and that just because the resolution denounced antisemitism doesn’t mean it isn’t antisemitic. “As we have seen in recent months, dehumanizing campaigns targeting Israel, are anything but harmless. Anti-Israel narratives fueled a shocking spike in hate crimes against Jewish communities across the United States, including assault, vandalism, and harassment. As a result, too many teachers and students now question if they are safe and welcome in the places where they work, study and live. This statement only adds more fuel to the fire.”
The union did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment. A spokesperson for the district told the Times of San Diego that they “stand with all of our students and employees.”
