Maintaining Columbia’s Ties to Israel
As members of the faculty of Columbia University, we write to express our commitment to the university’s ties with Israel. Israel is a thriving democracy. It has democratic elections, a free press, rule of law, and strong protections for the individual rights of all citizens, including Arabs as well as ews. Israel also is the home of great universities, a vibrant culture, and an innovative high!tech sector. "iven these shared values and interests, Columbia benefits from tieswith Israeli faculty, students, research, and technology.#or nearly seven decades, Israel has faced hostile neighbors. $oc%et attac%s, terrorism in the streets, chaos across the border, and the trauma of war are facts of life for Israelis. &e wish for a peaceful and 'ust resolution of the Israeli!(alestinian conflict, 'ust as Israelis do. &e appreciate that several Israeli (rime )inisters from across the Israeli political spectrum have endorsed a two!state solution. &e recognize that Israel withdrew unilaterally from "aza, and that "aza has since become a base for attac%s on Israeli civilians. &e do not mean to suggest that we agree with every policy of the Israeli government, 'ust as the Israeli people have a range of views about the best path to a peaceful and secure coexistence with their neighbors. *et it would not be 'ust or principled to respond to the Israeli!(alestinian conflict by disengaging from Israel or from companies that do business with Israel. It would be un'ust to blame only one side for this conflict, and unprincipled to single out Israel for this sanction, whilemaintaining ties with other nations that + unli%e Israel + are undemocratic, repressive, and much less restrained in their use of force.#or all these reasons, Columbia’s ties with Israel need to be preserved. &hile we recognize that the University rustees are responsible for deciding whether to divest from companies that do business in Israel, we write to express our support for these investments.-incerely,./avid -chizer /ean 0meritus 1 2arvey $. )iller (rofessor of 3awColumbia 3aw -chool4./orothy Urman /enburg/ean of the College 0merita, 5arnard College6.$onald A. #eldman/ean 0meritus and $uth 2arris 7ttman Centennial (rofessor for the Advancement of -ocial &or% 0ducationColumbia -chool of -ocial &or% 8."erald #ischbach/ean 0meritus, #aculties of 2ealth -ciences and )edicineohn 0. 5orne (rofessor 0meritus of )edical and -urgical $esearch in the/epartments of (harmacology and 9euroscience
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:.$. "lenn 2ubbard/ean 1 $ussell 3. Carson (rofessor of #inance and 0conomicsColumbia 5usiness -chool;.<vi "alil/ean 0meritus of the #aculty of 0ngineering and Applied -cience and ulian Clarence 3evi (rofessor 0meritus of )athematical )ethods and Computer -cience=.Ira 5. 3amster (rofessor, /epartment of 2ealth (olicy 1 )anagement)ailman -chool of (ublic 2ealth/ean 0meritusCollege of /ental )edicine>. 9icholas 3emann/ean 0meritus and oseph (ulitzer II and 0dith (ulitzer )oore (rofessor of ournalism"raduate -chool of ournalism?.2erbert (ardes/ean 0meritus of (1-#ormer @( for 2ealth -ciences and former C07 7# 9* (resbyterian(rofessor of (sychiatry, College of (hysicians 1 -urgeons.$ichard AxelUniversity (rofessor Columbia College of (hysicians and -urgeons.0ric BandelUniversity (rofessor, Bavli (rofessor and /irector, Bavli Institute for 5rain -cienceCo!/irector, )ortimer 5. <uc%erman )ind 5rain 5ehavior Institute, /epartment of 9euroscienceColumbia University4.-imon -chamaUniversity (rofessor, /epartment of 2istory6./avid 9. /in%ins;th )ayor, City of 9ew *or% (rofessor in the (ractice of (ublic (olicy-chool of International of (ublic Affairs
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8.(aul Appelbaum/ollard (rofessor of (sychiatry, )edicine, 1 3aw College of (hysicians 1 -urgeons:.Awi #edergruenCharles 0. 0xley (rofessor of )anagement, "raduate -chool of 5usiness;.0ster $. #uchs(rofessor of International and (ublic Affairs and (olitical -cienceColumbia University, -I(A=.udith -. acobsonAssociate (rofessor of 0pidemiology)ailman -chool of (ublic 2ealth>.*itzha% Irving BaletAd'unct (rofessor, /epartment of 0lectrical 0ngineering, Columbia University?.$an Bivetz(hilip 2. "eier (rofessor Columbia University 5usiness -chool4.homas )errillCharles 0vans 2ughes (rofessor of 3awColumbia 3aw -chool4.$obert ac%son, r. (rofessor of 3awColumbia 3aw -chool44.-tephanie 9euman/irector, Comparative /efense -tudies (rogram-altzman Institute of &ar 1 (eace46.Alex /ranovs%y#lorence Irving Assistant (rofessor of (sychiatry at theColumbia University )edical Center 48.Benneth (rager (rofessor of )edicine at the Columbia University )edical Center 4:.Alex $as%olni%ov&ilbur 2. #riedman (rofessor of ax 3aw, Columbia 3aw -chool
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