Student resolution asking university to divest from Israel receives national attention
By Jolie Peal 
, Reporter Nebraska Public Media News
Feb. 3, 2026, 3 p.m. ·
The Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, the Lincoln campus student body government, will consider a bill asking the university to divest from companies sending weapons to Israel at its weekly meeting Wednesday.
The bill has received statewide and national attention. Leo Terrell, chair of the U.S. Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, called the proposal “antisemitic” and urged students to vote against it in a social media post.
Antisemitism has NO place on college campuses. I’m calling on @ASUN_UNL, the student government at @UNLincoln, to VOTE NO on the antisemitic BDS resolution pushed by SJP, a group that has celebrated attacks by terrorist organizations and is now targeting AMERICAN companies… https://t.co/fC1uag7AmK
— Leo Terrell (@LeoTerrellDOJ) February 2, 2026
Several Nebraska representatives have also weighed in against the student bill. Gov. Jim Pillen and Rep. Don Bacon called Israel an ally.
I join @LeoTerrellDOJ in condemning this move by the radical Students for Justice in Palestine for the UNL student government to pass a resolution to boycott and divest from Israel, our closest ally. Antisemitism can have no place or platform at Nebraska’s flagship university. https://t.co/mnrEaTcM9Q
— Governor Jim Pillen (@TeamPillen) February 3, 2026
The BDS movement seeks to isolate and defeat Israel, the only democracy in the region. Israel is our best ally in the region as well. The BDS movement is fueled by anti-Semitic hate. I strongly encourage UNL students to oppose. Nebraska Nice is not with the haters. https://t.co/MAMUeO19Vn
— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) February 3, 2026
Rep. Mike Flood said the university should “stand against the slander and bigotry” of boycott, divestment and sanction movements.
Antisemitism has no place in Nebraska.@UNLincoln should stand against the slander and bigotry of the BDS movement, which has systemically targeted Jewish people across the country and around the world. https://t.co/KarDO2GFks
— Rep. Mike Flood (@USRepMikeFlood) February 3, 2026
The UNL chapter of the Students for Justice in Palestine has been pushing for the university to divest from Israel for several years. According to the group’s social media, the university system has more than $9 million invested in weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Dynamics, which has a plant in Lincoln.
A September 2024 report showed almost $425 million in various investments in the university’s endowment. It’s likely, based on the funds listed in the report, that UNL indirectly owns equity stakes in some defense companies.