NUS candidate’s ‘Zionists’ comments spark anger

THE LEADERS of every active JSoc in the country have condemned an antiIsrael activist who is standing to be National Union of Students’ president.

In an open letter to Malia Bouattia, who hopes to be elected next week, Jewish societies heads said they were “extremely concerned” by her remarks about “Zionists” and called for “immediate answers”.

Ms Bouattia co-wrote an article about the University of Birmingham in 2011, describing it as a “Zionist outpost in British higher education”.

The piece added: “It also has the largest JSoc in the country, whose leadership is dominated by Zionist activists.”

The article accused the JSoc’s representatives of performing a “two-faced shift to Orwellian p r o p a g a n - d i s i n g f o r the state of Israel”.

I n t he l e t t e r t o M s Bouattia, J e w- ish students said: “Our question is clear. Why do you see a large Jewish society as a problem?” They pointed out that speaking at an event in London Ms Bouattia, currently Black Students’ Officer had claimed the government’s Prevent anti-terror policy was fuelled by “all manner of Zionist and neo-con lobbies”. Labour’s Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, a former NUS president, said: “Why does this NUS officer seem to have a problem with Birmingham University having a large JSoc? “If the word ‘Jewish’ was replaced with ‘Black’ or ‘LGBT’ or ‘disabled’ there would be an outcry. “Students’ unions must decide if they wish to be bystanders to this despicable language or to challenge it.” In response to the letter, Ms Bouattia said: “It seems I have been misrepresented. I am extremely uncomfortable with insinuations of antisemitism. To take issue with Zionist politics is not taking issue with being Jewish”. Ms Bouattia would “continue to oppose the Israeli state’s treatment of Palestinians and its violations of human rights”. She is standing against current NUS president Megan Dunn. The NUS conference begins on Tuesday. Malia Bouattia