University of California bans student boycotts of Israel-linked firms amid probe
UC spokesperson Rachel Zaentz said in a statement that the letter is in keeping with the university's opposition to financial boycotts of companies associated with a particular country.'While our community members have the right to express their viewpoints, financial boycotts are inconsistent with UC's commitment to sound business practices, academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas,' she said. College campuses exploded with pro-Palestinian protests in the wake of the war in Gaza, including a particularly brutal clash involving police at the University of California, Los Angeles last year. At the start of his term this year, President Donald Trump launched antisemitism probes at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley.The US Department of Health and Human Services and National Science Foundation are requiring research grantees to certify they will not engage in boycotts of Israel or promote diversity, inclusion and equity or risk federal funding.The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Drake's letter is yet another example of the university system's attempts to silence student and faculty support of Palestinian human rights.'It sends a chilling message that financial interests and political pressure outweigh free expression and moral responsibility to take a stand against a foreign nation committing a genocide,' said Oussama Mokeddem, the group's government affairs director.The UC Student Association, which represents students across the campuses, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But its president, Aditi Hariharan, told the Los Angeles Times that she disagreed with the ban.'Students already have little influence on how the university works, and student government is one of the few places where they can really get involved and have their voices heard,' she said in an interview before the letter was released.- EndsTrending Reel
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