On October 20, 2023, the UWSA Board of Directors met for an Emergency Meeting of the Board to discuss the overwhelming feedback on the UWSA’s official statement released on October 18, 2023. 

Today, we unequivocally declare our solidarity with the people of Palestine in their fight for dignity, human rights, and self-determination.

The UWSA holds a steadfast commitment to the principles of human rights, justice, and equity. We are dedicated to continuing to serve, advocate for, and represent all our students, and strive to provide an avenue where student voices are valued and heard, especially in times of global crises that touch our student community—directly and indirectly. We embrace our responsibility to ensure that our campus remains a space of inclusivity, dialogue, and tolerance for diverse populations. 

The ongoing crisis, characterized by the deliberate cutoff of essential resources—including water, gas, electricity, and food—constitutes a severe violation of human rights and international humanitarian laws. These actions have led to the heart-wrenching loss of over 4000 Palestinian lives, the destruction of homes, and the destabilization of an entire region. We categorically denounce and are deeply disturbed by these acts of oppression and the policies perpetrating them.  

We stand in solidarity with Palestine. This is not about politics—it is about human lives and ethical imperatives. We do not endorse any violent tactics by any party that endanger civilian lives. Innocence is innocence, oppressed is oppressed, and murder is murder, no matter the perpetrator. We strongly condemn and reject all forms of bigotry, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and any act of violence or hate on campus and world-wide. 

While we address our concerns about the Israeli government and oppose their actions and policies in regards to the Palestinian people, we want to be clear that this is not a stance against Jewish people or Judaism. We stand with our Jewish students and reaffirm that their safety and rights are as paramount as those of other students. 

Our foremost priority is, and will always be, the safety and well-being of our students. As we continue to grapple with the crisis unfolding abroad, we must remember that our community members have lost loved ones, and we all have a human responsibility of kindness, tolerance, and compassion towards one another, Again, we encourage you to lean on your support systems in times of distress, including family, friends, and mental health resources. 

Sincerely, 

The University of Windsor Students’ Alliance’s Board of Directors.