UJS to meet Bouattia
THE UNION of Jewish Students has agreed to talks with Malia Bouattia, the president of the National Union of Students, after she “finally” wrote to the body seeking a meeting.
Last month, Josh Nagli, UJS campaigns director, said the union could cut off all contact with the NUS over concerns about Ms Bouattia.
The NUS president had attracted outrage over describing Birmingham University as “something of a Zionist outpost” and referring to “mainstream Zionist-led media outlets”.
She was also found guilty of misconduct by the NUS last year over alleged antisemitism.
But the UJS shifted its position after receiving a letter from Ms Bouattia last week. A spokeswoman said: “We have always said we need to meet with her and talk to her and see what she says, and finally she has reached out to us.”
She added that the UJS was open to a possible reconciliation between the two bodies.
“We’re not sure where she’s coming from at the moment, but let’s see what she has to say. There is no reason why this can’t be the start of something more positive, as long as she doesn’t do what she did before, when she used meeting us for her own NUS president Malia Bouattia political gain and not for the gain of Jewish students.” Katasha McCullough, an NUS press officer, confirmed a letter had been sent by Ms Bouattia, with “a number of dates and times from mid to late October” suggested for the meeting. Lincoln University students union has overturned its decision to leave the NUS. After a narrow victory for the disaffiliation campaign in May, a re-run has resulted in 1,302 students voting to remain in the NUS, with just 437 backing a split. The second vote was held after several students expressed opposition to disaffiliation. But a UJS spokeswoman warned: “NUS must not think that Lincoln students union’s decision to re-affiliate means they can ignore Jewish students’ concerns. NUS’s attitudes towards Jewish students and tackling antisemitism have been at the forefront of many disaffiliation campaigns.” The Board of Deputies has condemned a debate planned by Soas Palestine Society “to examine the borderline between Judaism and Zionism… in light of frequent claims made by supporters of Israel that pro-Palestinian activism is antisemitic”. Marie van der Zyl, Board vicepresident, said the group was attempting to redefine antisemitism “for hostile political ends”.