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<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">Press
Release Regarding General Assembly decision to endorse BDS
Campaign<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">The
Concordia Graduate Students’ Association Endorses BDS Campaign against Israeli
apartheid</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">Montreal,
Quebec January 28 2013 – After heated debate and informed discussion the General
Assembly of the Concordia Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) voted
overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution to endorse, promote, and participate in
the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the state of
Israel. Graduate students at the assembly considered arguments for and against
ratifying the elected GSA Council of Directors’ December 2012 decision to
participate in the growing global movement to pressure the State of Israel to
recognize the sovereignty of the Palestinian people. The resolution read as
follows: “<I>Be it resolved that the GSA General Assembly ratify the GSA Council
of Directors’ decision and endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
campaign against the State of Israel until it respects international law and
ends its apartheid system.”</I> In response to the membership’s desire for more
discussion and information about BDS and how Concordia can participate, the GSA
will establish a permanent committee to educate students and mobilize support
for the campaign on- and off-campus.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">An
information campaign, including a discussion panel with academics, authors and
students who have conducted intensive work and research in the area of BDS,
Israeli apartheid and the complicity of the Canadian government, preceded the
General Assembly vote. The General Assembly’s ratification formalizes the GSA’s
support of Palestinian rights and opposition to Israel’s illegal occupation and
violations of international law under the Geneva Conventions and United Nations
resolutions. The GSA joins associations at the University of Toronto, York
University, University of Regina, Carleton University and universities around
the world that have all passed similar resolutions.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">More
about BDS:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">In
2005, inspired by the previous BDS movement in solidarity with South Africans
against Apartheid, more than 170 Palestinian civil society organizations called
for international non-violent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the
State of Israel until it complies with international law. Since then, people
from across the globe in solidarity with Palestine have been building BDS
campaigns as a response to the initial brave call and as a way to put pressure
on the State of Israel until the rights of Palestinians are met. More
information can be found at http://www.bdsmovement.net/.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA"> More
about the Concordia Graduate Students’ Association (</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">http://gsaconcordia.ca)<B>:</B><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA">Established
in 1970, the Concordia Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) represents over
6,000 graduate students at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The
GSA is committed to defending the interests of its members at the local,
provincial, and national level through a variety of campaigns and participation
on University governance bodies. The GSA firmly supports the right to accessible
education through active participation in education and mobilization campaigns,
and seeks to increase graduate students’ influence on decision-making bodies and
encourage involvement of its members in political processes, both internal and
external to the University.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A
href="http://gsaconcordia.ca/press-relase-regarding-general-assembly-decision-to-endorse-bds-campaign/">http://gsaconcordia.ca/press-relase-regarding-general-assembly-decision-to-endorse-bds-campaign/</A><o:p></o:p></P>
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