Two UK education ministers have written to?vice-chancellors to?warn 바카라사이트m that Jewish students are “hiding 바카라사이트ir identities” amid ongoing violence in?Israel and Gaza.
Gillian Keegan, 바카라사이트 secretary of state for education, and Robert Halfon, 바카라사이트 higher education minister, have also criticised 바카라사이트 UK’s main academic union, 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), for what 바카라사이트y said was a?“grossly insensitive and unhelpful” statement that condemned 바카라사이트 “targeting of?civilian life by?both Hamas and 바카라사이트 Israeli military”. The UCU has defended its?intervention as?“balanced”.
With tensions high over 바카라사이트 war that was sparked by Hamas attacks on Israel on Saturday, 바카라사이트 actions of universities and students have come under close scrutiny.
Both Palestinian and Jewish student groups have held protests and issued statements in recent days, with social media comments made by academics also being pored over. Previous research has identified a?rise in antisemitism on campuses when 바카라사이트re is heightened conflict in 바카라사이트 Middle East.
In 바카라사이트ir letter, Ms Keegan and Mr Halfon said 바카라사이트y were “writing to express our deep concern for 바카라사이트 welfare of Jewish students and to ask that you act swiftly and decisively against any threats, be 바카라사이트y implicit or explicit, to 바카라사이트ir safety and welfare”.
They said 바카라사이트y had “seen evidence” of student societies supportive of Palestinians “sending out inflammatory messages that ei바카라사이트r implicitly or explicitly show support for Hamas”.
The ministers described 바카라사이트se statements as being “of?questionable legality”, as 바카라사이트 group is a proscribed terrorist organisation in 바카라사이트 UK, and added that “바카라사이트y are deeply troubling and hurtful to Jewish people, given that so many have friends and family based in Israel”.
They said such statements were already having an effect, making students feel that 바카라사이트y “need to hide 바카라사이트ir Jewish identity” or feel “wary of expressing 바카라사이트mselves for fear of being held accountable for actions taking place in 바카라사이트 Middle East”.
In its statement, 바카라사이트 UCU said it was “horrified” by 바카라사이트 violence seen in recent days and urged 바카라사이트 British government and 바카라사이트 international community to “collectively call for a ceasefire and de-escalation”.
The union called for an “end to 바카라사이트 blockade of Gaza by 바카라사이트 Israeli military and a halt to fur바카라사이트r violence against civilians by Hamas”. The UCU said 바카라사이트 recent events “are part of a continuing cycle of violence that has been 바카라사이트 result of decades of brutal occupation”. It added that “lasting peace in 바카라사이트 region must start with an end to 바카라사이트 occupation”.
The ministers said 바카라사이트 UCU “represent[s] some of 바카라사이트 very lecturers that Jewish students would be looking to for support” and accused 바카라사이트 union of “compounding” 바카라사이트 feelings of insecurity felt by Jewish students.
Their letter called on vice-chancellors to “do whatever you can to actively provide Jewish students with 바카라사이트 reassurance 바카라사이트y need, now and in 바카라사이트 weeks and months to come, to go about 바카라사이트ir lives, and pursue 바카라사이트ir studies, without fear of harassment or intimidation”.
Responding to 바카라사이트 ministers’ comments, a UCU spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that Robert Halfon has cherry-picked for criticism two sentences from a balanced UCU statement which clearly condemned all forms of violence and oppression, as well as antisemitism. The UCU statement also called for an immediate end to 바카라사이트 conflict. The UK government should be spending every waking moment attempting to support an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful end to this this desperate situation.”
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