Jewish Faculty and Students at UCSD released a statement in support of the Encampment: "Jewish faculty, students and staff at University of California San Diego, together with Jewish community groups, stand in full solidarity with student protestors who have erected the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' on Library Walk on the La Jolla campus. Tonight Jewish students and faculty, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace at UCSD and Jewish Voice for Peace San Diego and led by Rabbi Alexis Pearce, will join to light candles and say the Shabbat blessing together with students and community members from diverse faiths and backgrounds... We agree with Professor Rashid Khalidi of Columbia University when he said 'This is the conscience of a nation, speaking through your kids' and we recognize the courage and commitment of the students who are camping out. We reject the dismissal of these peaceful encampments as anti-Semitic, or that they create a hostile environment for Jewish students and faculty. We recognize anti-Semitism as a real form of discrimination that harms our communities but reject the premise that criticism of the state of Israel and its actions is inherently anti-Semitic."