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Israeli Intelligence and Defense forces assassinated Hamas military leader Ahmad Jabari in a targeted attack on Wednesday afternoon in the Gaza Strip. Jabari’s son was also killed when a missile ripped apart the car they were traveling in. Also killed on Wednesday was the 11 month old son of Palestinian BBC correspondent Jihad Masharawi, whose house was bombarded by Israeli forces.

Even before the escalation, thirteen-year-old Palestinian boy Muhammad Abu Daqqa was shot by Israeli forces while playing soccer on November 8, followed by a series of exchanges of rocket fire by Palestinian resistance fighters at Israeli Army forces, and bombing of Palestinian civilian areas by Israel. However, the November 14th assassination of Jabari shattered a truce that was actually holding. Israel has maintained that it is acting in self-defense. So far nearly 2 dozen Palestinian civilians have been killed with over a hundred injured. Three Israeli civilians were killed in a rocket attack on an apartment building and three Israeli soldiers injured. This morning it was reported that a Palestinian rocket was fired for the first time toward Jerusalem. The rocket landed in an open area – no injuries or deaths resulted.

Meanwhile, here in Southern California, in addition to a spirited demonstration yesterday in front of the Israeli Embassy in Westwood, the Associated Students at UC Irvine responded recently to what they call Israel’s “apartheid,” policies by voting 16-0 to request that their college divest from doing business with eight corporations with Israeli ties. The 8 companies were chosen for their connection to the Israeli military and the construction of the separation barrier in the West Bank settlements. The resolution is non-binding and waiting to be approved by the University’s Student Executive board and also by the school’s administration. However, if it is passed, it would mark the first time a California Campus has taken such a stance.

UC Irvine students have been known for their activism on the Israeli occupation. In 2010, 11 UC Irvine students were arrested for protesting Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren’s on-campus speech.

GUESTS: Hussein Amody, one of the founders of Witness Gaza, a group of young people in Gaza, and Osama Ahmed is a student at UC Irvine and part of the BDS campaign at UC Irvine