A.S. Government Resources

Resolution on Palestine

WHEREAS, the Associated Students of San Diego State University (A.S. SDSU) is committed to upholding the principles of free speech, equity, and the full expression of student identity and political belief according to AS Bylaws under Article 6, Governance, Section 18 .

WHEREAS, A.S. SDSU has previously demonstrated a commitment to student voices by supporting student expression regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, it must ensure that it exercises the same solidarity for Palestinian students in advocating for their political causes without fear of censorship.

WHEREAS, A.S. leadership took initiative on creating the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) climate survey , demonstrating an evidenced precedent for SWANA representation and belonging on campus,

WHEREAS, other CSU campuses, notably Sacramento and Fullerton, have historically passed resolutions condemning anti-Palestinian racism and calling for divestment from Israel, setting a precedent for such action; and

WHEREAS, the California State Student Association (CSSA) passed Resolution #2024-01 in April 2024, officially calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, condemning human rights violations, and reaffirming students' freedom of speech.

WHEREAS, SDSU Academic Senate passed Senate Resolution Condemning anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim Racism in 2024, reaffirming students’ rights to protest a genocide.

WHEREAS, SDSU campus leadership has previously expressed experiencing censorship on campus when raising awareness of Palestinian suffrage throughout various open forums,

WHEREAS, on Tuesday, April 29th, 2025, A.S. leadership and staff approached Mohamed Erekat, a Palestinian student and leader within A.S., where Erekat received a letter with his statement crossed out and other “alternatives” to using the term genocide.

WHEREAS, Erekats's refusal to capitulate to the university ultimately led to his position being canceled and deemed, in the words of A.S. staff, a political statement, further validating our belief that this issue constitutes a violation of students' right to advocacy.

WHEREAS, Mohamed Erekat did not make a statement on behalf of A.S, but rather wrote an identity statement as he was requested to; therefore, A.S. is directly infringing on Erekat's right to free speech.

WHEREAS, the term "genocide" cannot be subverted as “political opinion," but rather, a legal classification under international law, as cited by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in an ongoing case abiding by the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention charter. The term has been repeatedly invoked by international political experts, such as United Nations officials, to describe the atrocities in Gaza:

WHEREAS, international human rights bodies, such as Amnesty International , have identified Israel’s actions in Gaza, including mass civilian killings, forced starvation and famine , bombardment of hospitals and schools, concentration camp development , and the systematic targeting of journalists, as amounting to genocide and crimes against humanity; and

WHEREAS, the Lancet, a leading international medical journal, reports that Israel has murdered over 186,000 Palestinians since October 2023 , including more than 20,000 children (as of September 2025), with famine and disease now widespread due to Israel’s blockade of food and medicine;

WHEREAS, as of January 2026, Israel has imposed severe restrictions and officially deregistered 37 international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from operating in or entering the Gaza Strip , significantly limiting independent monitoring and making an accurate assessment of conditions and casualties difficult, and raising concerns about whether basic humanitarian standards are being upheld during the ceasefire.

WHEREAS, evidence from news outlets such as The Guardian and Al Jazeera have documented Israel's repeated attacks on hospitals, including a double-tap strike on Nasser Hospital in August 2025, killing medics, civilians, and at least five Palestinian journalists;

WHEREAS, this systematic killing of journalists has made Gaza the most well-documented deliberate annexation in modern history, with clear aims of silencing Palestinian voices while simultaneously enabling Israel’s atrocities.

WHEREAS, on January 4th, 2024, SDSU Political Science Department Chair Dr. Jonathan Graubart, among several other SDSU staff, filed a formal complaint with the office of President De la Torre due to the alleged biases perpetuated by Professor Amos Nedan, a visiting professor from the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative (MGSDII). SDSU’s collaboration with this private advocacy organization has platformed Israeli state-aligned scholars whose purpose is to “strategically promote” the modern state of Israel as lecturers on U.S. college campuses.

WHEREAS, through this campus program, MGSDII funded Israeli diplomat Ido Aharoni to serve as a visiting professor at SDSU, despite his documented political affiliations as the founder of the Israeli government’s “Brand Israel” project.

WHEREAS, according to Ido Aharoni on Business Insider, “Israel must use its full force to shatter Hamas so it can never again threaten Israel, and if this imperative requires leveling swaths of Gaza and straining the access of its two million residents to food and water, then that's what is going to happen.”

WHEREAS, as per the aforementioned quote from Aharoni, SDSU platformed hate speech in its curriculum by platforming Aharoni’s documented advocacy for forced violence and starvation in Gaza.

BE IT RESOLVED, this resolution defines the 'Israel-Hamas war' as "the genocide against the people of Palestine." By formally adopting this position, A.S. and SDSU publicly acknowledge their historic complicity in student censorship and platforming of hate speech;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, this resolution in no way antagonizes the Jewish people or faith, but rather, calls for accountability from the state of Israel, entirely separate from adopting an anti-Semitic prerogative.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is due to Israel’s active role in perpetuating violence via illegal occupation and militarization.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that A.S. call upon SDSU to sever all ties with the MGSDII, more specifically by removing MGSDII branding and educational materials from official SDSU websites and forums . recognizing it as a propaganda arm that compromises academic freedom, student safety, and institutional integrity; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that A.S. demands SDSU adopt policies to ensure transparency for their donor and partnership agreements, prohibiting outside advocacy organizations from shaping curriculum or faculty hiring; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, necessitates the continuation in developing the SWANA Resource Center, ensuring allocation of funding from SDSU and a designated campus space to provide adequate support and solidarity, officially recognized as a part of the numerous other cultural communities that SDSU has promised to serve; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that A.S. demands SDSU halt all funding for A.S. scholarships related to studying abroad in Israel, unless as a part of a recognized religious obligation, alongside divestments from all current investments in technology and services used by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the occupation to ensure it does not inadvertently contribute to genocide and ensure consistent and unwavering efforts in line with its commitment to principled practices.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that A.S. necessitate the SDSU administration, including a direct acknowledgment from President Adela De la Torre, to issue an immediate statement affirming institutional support for Palestinian, Arab, SWANA, and Muslim students, committing to their safety, inclusion, and academic freedom; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution be distributed to SDSU President Adela de la Torre, the CSU Chancellor’s Office, the California State Student Association, and student governments across the CSU system.