The anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign has, to varying degrees of success, been spreading across college campuses in the United States for the past ten years. But pro-Israel advocates at the University of New Orleans have decided to challenge that movement, starting their own campaign against the Palestinian Authority. The campaign, a two-day petition drive sponsored by grass roots college group Allies of Israel, took place on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to Breitbart , the petition Allies of Israel have asked fellow students to sign, reads as follows: "To raise awareness about the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Palestinian Authority against the Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank; to call for accountability in the foreign aid given to the Palestinian Authority and ensure it is not used to persecute Palestinians or Israelis." Student activist Chloe Valdary, the founder of Allies of Israel, explained the divestment campaign is meant to give expression both to Jewish struggle for freedom, but also stand in solidarity with Palestinians "imprisoned and persecuted by the PA." "In addition, we stand in solidarity with Jews in Israel and around the world and call upon the PA to cease sponsoring, financing, and/or encouraging the lynching of Jews and the segregation of Jews from areas that are currently off limits to Jews in Israel." The "Divest From the PA" campaign's next move may be to online as it seeks to expand awareness about the true nature of the PA, and show support for the Jewish state.
