University of Illinois student government president vetoes divestment resolution

The president of the University of Illinois student government vetoes a resolution passed by the body last week that supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Connor Josellis said the remarks made Wednesday evening during discussion of the resolution and in the aftermath of its passage “have made students feel unsafe and have fostered a climate of hate on this campus,” the Daily Illini student newspaper reports.

The university released a statement following the vote noting that the resolution was nonbinding and had no plans to act on it.

The resolution, which had 22 sponsors, calls on the university to divest from “companies that profit from human-rights violations in Palestine and other communities globally.” It names three companies that do business in Israel: Raytheon, Elbit Systems Ltd. and Northrup Grumman.

— JTA