Last week, the Undergraduate Students Association Council considered a resolution entitled “A Resolution In Support of Positive Steps Towards an Israeli-Palestinian Peace.” The resolution recognized that “both the Jewish people and the Palestinian people have historical and cultural ties to the land” and “both the Jewish and Palestinian narratives regarding the land are substantial parts of each group’s self-identity.” In light of the hostile campus environments created by divestment resolutions brought forth at other UC campuses, the resolution called for peaceful and respectful dialogue based on the UCLA principle that “healthy climate is grounded in respect for others, nurtured by dialogue between those of differing perspectives, and is evidenced by a pattern of civil interactions among community members.” Furthermore, the resolution called for positive investments in companies and ventures “that have spent time and resources on efforts to facilitate cooperative interaction between Israelis and Palestinians” in order to further promote and support cross-community collaboration. Read more...