Resolution to Support the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions

Whereas the Association for Asian American Studies is an organization dedicated to the preservation and support of
academic freedom and of the right to education for students and scholars in the U.S. and globally; and

Whereas Arab (West Asian) and Muslim American communities, students, and scholars have been subjected to
profiling, surveillance, and civil rights violations that have circumscribed their freedom of political expression,
particularly in relation to the issue of human rights in Palestine-Israel; and

Whereas the Association for Asian American Studies seeks to foster scholarship that engages conditions of
migration, displacement, colonialism, and racism, and the lives of people in zones of war and occupation; and
Whereas the Association for Asian American Studies seeks to advance a critique of U.S. empire, opposing US
military occupation in the Arab world and U.S. support for occupation and racist practices by the Israeli state; and

Whereas the United Nations has reported that the current Israeli occupation of Palestine has impacted students
“whose development is deformed by pervasive deprivations affecting health, education and overall security”; and

Whereas Palestinian universities and schools have been periodically forced to close as a result of actions related to
the Israeli occupation, or have been destroyed by Israeli military strikes, and Palestinian students and scholars face
restrictions on movement and travel that limit their ability to attend and work at universities, travel to conferences
and to study abroad, and thereby obstruct their right to education; and

Whereas the Israeli state and Israeli universities directly and indirectly impose restrictions on education,
scholarships, and participation in campus activities on Palestinian students in Israel; and

Whereas Israel imposes severe restrictions on foreign academics and students seeking to attend conferences and do
research in Palestine as well as on scholars and students of Arab/Palestinian origin who wish to travel to IsraelPalestine; and
Whereas Israeli institutions of higher education have not condemned or taken measures to oppose the occupation
and racial discrimination against Palestinians in Israel, but have, rather, been directly and indirectly complicit in the
systematic maintenance of the occupation and of policies and practices that discriminate against Palestinian students
and scholars throughout Palestine and in Israel; and

Whereas Israeli academic institutions are deeply complicit in Israel’s violations of international law and human
rights and in its denial of the right to education and academic freedom to Palestinians, in addition to their basic
rights as guaranteed by international law; and

Whereas the Association for Asian American Studies supports research and open discussion about these issues
without censorship, intimidation, or harassment, and seeks to promote academic exchange, collaboration and
opportunities for students and scholars everywhere;

Be it resolved that the Association for Asian American Studies endorses and will honor the call of Palestinian civil
society for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions.
Be it also resolved that the Association for Asian American Studies supports the protected rights of students and
scholars everywhere to engage in research and public speaking about Israel-Palestine and in support of the boycott,
divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.

PASSED. No OBJECTIONS. No ABSTENTIONS.
April 20th, 2013 by the General Membership of the Association for Asian American Studies.