Hundreds of UBC alumni and workers issue letter of support for pro-Palestinian encampment as pro-Palestinian students set up encampment last week to put pressure on Canadian government and Academia to help Stop The Slaughter of Palestinians by Israeli military onslaught that had already claimed tens of thousands of innocent lives including large contingent of women and children. Almost 800 members of the UBC community issued an open letter Monday, May 6 stating their support of the pro-Palestinian student encampment at the university. The open letter, sent to seven of UBC’s leaders, states that as alumni members and current and former workers and staff of the university, “we unequivocally support the UBC student encampment on Musqueam lands in solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinian people. The students join a global student movement pressuring universities to disclose their investments and divest from Israeli genocide,” the letter read. 

By DESIUZZCanada Staff

Photos by Sukhwant Singh Dhillon / DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – Hundreds of UBC alumni and workers issue letter of support for pro-Palestinian encampment as pro-Palestinian students set up encampment last week to put pressure on Canadian government and Academia to help Stop The Slaughter of Palestinians by Israeli military onslaught that had already claimed tens of thousands of innocent lives including large contingent of women and children.

Almost 800 members of the UBC community issued an open letter Monday, May 6 stating their support of the pro-Palestinian student encampment at the university. The open letter, sent to seven of UBC’s leaders, states that as alumni members and current and former workers and staff of the university, “we unequivocally support the UBC student encampment on Musqueam lands in solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinian people. The students join a global student movement pressuring universities to disclose their investments and divest from Israeli genocide,” the letter read. 

Iman Baobeid did her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the university. She says she felt compelled to help draft the letter because she wants to see UBC divest from war companies (such as weapons manufacturers), cut ties with certain Israeli institutions, and condemn the “genocide” in Gaza. 

“We know that we stand on the right side of history and I’m hopeful that UBC can meet us there,” she told CityNews. 

Baobeid says her alma mater invested $16 million in war companies in 2023, including weapons manufacturers Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Airbus and Northrop Grumman.