Students at Sussex University have voted to boycott Israeli goods. The decision will become part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which aims to create Israeli compliance with international law and enforce the respect of Palestinian rights.
The referendum result mandates the Studentsâ Union to remove all Israeli produce from its stores, and review its sources for food outlets. This makes Sussex Studentsâ Union the first in the UK to implement a full boycott of Israeli goods. The vote was one of the largest and closest contested in the Unionâs history, with 562 votes for and 450 against the boycott.
The decision to boycott is a result of the growing strength of UK student solidarity and activism. This was most visible during the assault on Gaza last winter, students in more than 20 universities across the UK occupied campus buildings to demand BDS, an end to university investment and involvement in arms sales and settlement goods, and support for Palestinian students.