Thiswasawake-up call.Weneedchange

IT’S BEEN a few days since the event at UCL and the intimidation students endured.

As one of the organisersof HenMazzig’stalk,Iwasleft shaken, and in disbelief that a speaker invited to share the nuances of the Middle East conflict, and instigate better engagement between the two peoples, could end up being hijacked.

As the granddaughter of a Holocaust refugee, chants suggesting Jews should be wiped out left me in utter shock.

The event highlighted the environment many students live with but strongly reject. We need meaningful change otherwise things will get out of hand. Thursday should be a wake-up call for all parties to say enough.

When I say parties I mean Jewish students, all other university students who revere the right to freedom of speech, the universities, student unions, NUS, and the Jewish community leadership, and government.

Everyone should be outraged at abuse of freedom of speech and all forms of threatening behaviour. Everyone should speak out, not just those directly affected, because ultimately, we’re all infected when a basic human right is eroded.

Student unions could take a proactive role in facilitating the joint sponsoring of events by Jewish and Israel societies and Palestinian societies.

We can build a stronger framework on campus with unions, universities and the NUS committing to make compulsory workshops available to all students to explore freedom of speech and where the line drifts into hate.

With wholehearted follow-up, these interactions would encourage understanding and respect, and erase fear. It’s grassroots interfaith and it’s what we need help with.

Jewish students could choose to educate themselves better about the complex issues around Israel and Palestine.

Some students will despair. But more than ever, we have to engage calmly, with purpose and spirit.

Our greatest challenge is not to fall into the trap of addressing hate with hate, even when it targets us. Universities have a pivotal role to help us.