On the Palestinian Prisoners Hunger Strike

, by Wesleyan Students For Justice in Palestine, Contributing Writers

Right now, over 1600 Palestinian political prisoners are entering their 19th day of the dignity hunger strike. They are demanding changes to the degrading conditions of Palestinian prisons, specifically improvements related to family visits, appropriate medical care, ending abusive conditions as well as stopping the use of solitary confinement, administrative detention, and imprisonment without charge or trial. A prominent figure in the prison strike, Marwan Barghouthi, explained the causes of the strike in a recent op-ed when he said, “Israel’s prisons have become the cradle of a lasting movement for Palestinian self-determination. This new hunger strike will demonstrate once more that the prisoners’ movement is the compass that guides our struggle, the struggle for Freedom and Dignity, the name we have chosen for this new step in our long walk to freedom.”

Because the Samidoun Prison Solidarity Network has called for international supporters to advance boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaigns in their local contexts to support the prison strike, we are urging you to remove Sabra dipping products from all of Wesleyan’s dining options. Sabra is a target of the international BDS movement because it is owned by the Strauss Group, which has many links to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Strauss Group boasts about donating money to the Golani and Givati Brigades, IDF units that participated in the Israeli war crimes in the 2014 incursion in the Gaza strip.

More generally, the Strauss group is highly affiliated with the IDF and is closely tied to Israeli state policies that enact violence on Palestinians and deny Palestinian self-determination. The IDF is integral to the project of Israeli settler colonialism, which manifests in both the occupation and encroachment on Palestinian lands, as well as the segregated judicial system. We urge you to take a stand against Israeli abuse of Palestinians’ human rights by removing Sabra from Wesleyan’s dining options.

 

Sincerely,


Wesleyan Students for Justice in Palestine, Asian American Student Collective, Students for Ending Incarceration, Pharal Wes, Veg Out, Wesleyan Democratic Socialists, Wesleyan Global Health, Middle Eastern Students Union, Ujamaa

  • Shani Erdman

    I support non-violent resistance, and sympathize with Palestinian prisoners in their efforts to remedy the present condition of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. I stand in solidarity, and hope that their dignity hunger strike will force Israel to improve its treatment of these prisoners.

    The present situation is unjust, unsustainable, and painful to say the least. I dream of the day that Israelis and Palestinians will reach a two state solution, and live together in peace.

    All of the above said, I do I think that BDS will be effective in solving this complicated issue, and I do not think that boycotting Sabra is the answer. By calling upon Israel to end its occupation and dismantle its security barrier, BDS does not suggest any productive solutions that will resolve the conflict, nor does it address relevant security concerns Israel faces. Instead, BDS unilaterally condemns Israel. Furthermore, the Palestinian right of return included in the tenets of BDS would fundamentally result in the dissolution of the state of Israel. As someone who believes in Israel’s right to exist, I do not support BDS. Furthermore, I think a movement such as BDS, which also amounts to a cultural boycott of Israel, is hateful. One can disagree with the politics of a country without demonizing the entire state, its people, and its culture. It is important to recognize that citizens of a state can be disassociated with their current government (as Trump should not be conflated with America and all Americans).

    A special interest of BDS is Sabra. The above article explains that this is because Sabra is owned by the Strauss Group, which has links to the Israeli Defense Forces. This statement demonizes the IDF, without recognizing that if the IDF did not exist, Israel would not exist today. All Israeli citizens are required to go to the army because of the security concerns that Israel faces, and the majority of soldiers in the IDF are teenagers who just graduated from high school.

    Displayed in Usdan, was a poster with pictures of companies it claims “uphold apartheid, imprisonment, and torture in Palestine.” The poster further called on students to boycott Israeli products at Wesleyan.

    Painted on the poster was companies such as Airbnb, Starbucks, Coca Cola, and HP. While these companies all do have ties to Israel, the poster left out a multitude of other companies that also have close ties with Israel. This begs the question: where does boycott stop? Should students also boycott L’oreal, Ralph Lauren, Victoria Secret, Volvo, Intel, Motorola, McDonald’s, and a long list of other companies? Furthermore, an absolute boycott of Israel would also mean discontinuing the use of life-saving medical advances (such as the First Care Emergency Bandage), as well as groundbreaking technologies (such as drip irrigation).

    I think that it important to critique Israel, and Israel certainly has many many flaws. That said, the situation is very far from a simple, black and white issue. There are two sides to every matter, but when a campus is dominated by only one side of a situation, this creates a vacuum that is reductive and often biased. Furthermore, it seems as though there is a magnifying glass upon Israel. While there is a call to boycott companies with Israeli ties, Israel is the only country who seems to be subjected to such scrutiny. What about companies affiliated with Sudan (whose government has used chemical weapons against its own people)? Or Saudi Arabia (where same-sex relationships are punishable by death)? Or Qatar (where modern day slavery exists)? Etc. Etc.

    I understand why Sabra is of special concern to some students at Wesleyan, given that it is widely sold at Wesleyan. I also understand how some people at Wesleyan may feel uncomfortable purchasing Sabra, as its owner has been found to have ties to the Golani Brigade, a unit in the IDF that has been accused of perpetuating war crimes. That said, if one has misgivings about buying Sabra, they themselves should refrain from buying Sabra without forcing their political views upon the entire university.

  • Shani Erdman

    I support non-violent resistance, and sympathize with Palestinian prisoners in their efforts to remedy the present condition of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. I stand in solidarity, and hope that their dignity hunger strike will force Israel to improve its treatment of these prisoners.

    The present situation is unjust, unsustainable, and painful to say the least. I dream of the day that Israelis and Palestinians will reach a two state solution, and live together in peace.

    All of the above said, I do I think that BDS will be effective in solving this complicated issue, and I do not think that boycotting Sabra is the answer. By calling upon Israel to end its occupation and dismantle its security barrier, BDS does not suggest any productive solutions that will resolve the conflict, nor does it address relevant security concerns Israel faces. Instead, BDS unilaterally condemns Israel. Furthermore, the Palestinian right of return included in the tenets of BDS would fundamentally result in the dissolution of the state of Israel. As someone who believes in Israel’s right to exist, I do not support BDS. Furthermore, I think a movement such as BDS, which also amounts to a cultural boycott of Israel, is hateful. One can disagree with the politics of a country without demonizing the entire state, its people, and its culture. It is important to recognize that citizens of a state can be disassociated with their current government (as Trump should not be conflated with America and all Americans).

    A special interest of BDS is Sabra. The above article explains that this is because Sabra is owned by the Strauss Group, which has links to the Israeli Defense Forces. This statement demonizes the IDF, without recognizing that if the IDF did not exist, Israel would not exist today. All Israeli citizens are required to go to the army because of the security concerns that Israel faces, and the majority of soldiers in the IDF are teenagers who just graduated from high school.

    Displayed in Usdan, was a poster with pictures of companies it claims “uphold apartheid, imprisonment, and torture in Palestine.” The poster further called on students to boycott Israeli products at Wesleyan.

    Painted on the poster was companies such as Airbnb, Starbucks, Coca Cola, and HP. While these companies all do have ties to Israel, the poster left out a multitude of other companies that also have close ties with Israel. This begs the question: where does boycott stop? Should students also boycott L’oreal, Ralph Lauren, Victoria Secret, Volvo, Intel, Motorola, McDonald’s, and a long list of other companies? Furthermore, an absolute boycott of Israel would also mean discontinuing the use of life-saving medical advances (such as the First Care Emergency Bandage), as well as groundbreaking technologies (such as drip irrigation).

    I think that it important to critique Israel, and Israel certainly has many many flaws. That said, the situation is very far from a simple, black and white issue. There are two sides to every matter, but when a campus is dominated by only one side of a situation, this creates a vacuum that is reductive and often biased. Furthermore, it seems as though there is a magnifying glass upon Israel. While there is a call to boycott companies with Israeli ties, Israel is the only country who seems to be subjected to such scrutiny. What about companies affiliated with Sudan (whose government has used chemical weapons against its own people)? Or Saudi Arabia (where same-sex relationships are punishable by death)? Or Qatar (where modern day slavery exists)? Etc. Etc.

    I understand why Sabra is of special concern to some students at Wesleyan, given that it is widely sold at Wesleyan. I also understand how some people at Wesleyan may feel uncomfortable purchasing Sabra, as its owner has been found to have ties to the Golani Brigade, a unit in the IDF that has been accused of perpetuating war crimes. That said, if one has misgivings about buying Sabra, they themselves should refrain from buying Sabra without forcing their political views upon the entire university.

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