The UF Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday thanking President Barack Obama for visiting Israel.
Gators for Israel initiated a resolution thanking Obama’s administration for continuing to improve its relations with the Israeli government based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and freedom of religion and speech.
The resolution also thanks Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a UF alumna, for accompanying Obama on his trip.
Gators for Israel director of curriculum Daniel Milstein said the resolution is the only one of its kind from a university. He said UF has the largest population of Jewish students outside of Israel.
“A strong relationship with Israel is important in so many ways, and passage of this resolution, let alone by unanimous vote, was inspiring," said Milstein, an 18-year-old political science and economics freshman.
Signed copies of the resolution will be sent to Obama, Wasserman Schultz, Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro and Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren.
UF political science and public relations senior Shelley Greenspan, a former student senator, co-wrote the resolution.
She brought the idea to Gators for Israel after Obama told Israeli students at the Jerusalem International Convention Center that as long as there is a United States of America, they are not alone.
"President Obama really spoke to Israeli students during his visit and reaffirmed his commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship," the 22-year-old said. "I wanted to make sure he knows that University of Florida students heard him as well."
Contact Colleen Wright at cwright@alligator.org.
