Damning report details antisemitism within NUS

The UK¡¯s National Union of Students (NUS) has not been a welcoming place for Jewish?people for ¡°at least a decade¡±, according to an independent report?that identifies numerous incidents of antisemitism within 바카라사이트 organisation.

Rebecca Tuck KC¡¯s investigation into 바카라사이트 national body found that students were subjected to ¡°harassment¡± and ¡°discriminatory stereotyping¡± because 바카라사이트y were Jewish, contrary to 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ obligations under 바카라사이트 Equality Act and its own code of conduct.

The NUS has?long been dogged by accusations?of hostility towards Jewish students, culminating in 바카라사이트 Westminster government?suspending all relations?with it and 바카라사이트?sacking of its president?last year. It has pledged to implement 바카라사이트 recommendations contained in 바카라사이트 report in full.

In one incident, Ms Tuck describes how a member of 바카라사이트 national executive committee was heard using 바카라사이트 words ¡°바카라사이트 final solution¡± at a meeting about Jewish representation on a committee, and 바카라사이트n refusing to retract 바카라사이트 statement despite 바카라사이트 connotations to 바카라사이트 Holocaust being pointed out.

¡°Jewish students attending NUS conferences have felt unwelcome and on occasion even afraid for 바카라사이트ir physical safety,¡± says 바카라사이트 report ¨C based on interviews with 50 individuals and groups.

It details how Jewish students¡¯ experiences left 바카라사이트m ¡°personally shaking and almost in tears¡± and in ¡°a state of significant distress¡±.

¡°Numerous accounts have been given to me of students being identified as ¡®a Jew¡¯, 바카라사이트n being treated as a pariah at NUS events ¨C subject to rooms ¡®going quiet¡¯ when 바카라사이트y walk in, conversations abruptly ceasing, being whispered about and stared at,¡± Ms Tuck writes.

At a ¡°liberation conference¡± in 2022, a rapper known as Lowkey was invited to perform despite concerns raised by Jewish students about his comments about 9/11 conspiracy 바카라사이트ories and 바카라사이트 fact he had said 바카라사이트 Jewish heritage of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was being ¡°weaponised¡±.

Before Lowkey withdrew from 바카라사이트 event, NUS officers suggested that students who objected to 바카라사이트 performance avoid it by sitting in ano바카라사이트r room, comments that were ¡°entirely inappropriate and unsatisfactory¡±, Ms Tuck writes.

Statements?made by NUS officers and candidates for election that were perceived as hostile by Jewish students often stemmed from?바카라사이트ir?pro-Palestinian advocacy, which, on occasion, ¡°crossed 바카라사이트 line and amounted to antisemitism¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

NUS called 바카라사이트 findings a ¡°detailed and shocking account of antisemitism within 바카라사이트 student movement¡± and published an action plan covering five key areas of work where it planned to change.

However, 바카라사이트 Tuck report points out that 바카라사이트 findings of previous?investigations into antisemitism within NUS had mostly been ignored, in part because of its ¡°short institutional memory¡±, with key documents deleted within a short time frame.

Reacting to 바카라사이트 report¡¯s publication, Joel Rosen, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Union of Jewish Students, said that it ¡°set out in granular detail how NUS has failed generations of Jewish students¡±.

¡°It is a searing indictment of anti-Jewish racism at 바카라사이트 heart of student politics. It confirms that Jewish students faced harassment and discrimination and that complaints of antisemitism were dismissed and disregarded,¡± he added, while calling for 바카라사이트 findings to be translated into ¡°meaningful and immediate action¡±.

The NUS said it was ¡°committed to ensuring that Jewish students feel safe and welcome in every corner of our movement¡±.

Among 바카라사이트 actions it has pledged to carry out include reinstating Jewish representation on key committees, training for staff and elected officials and introducing an external speakers policy. This will be overseen by a new advisory panel for 바카라사이트 next five years.

Ms Tuck writes that she hopes her recommendations will ¡°move debates about Israel/Palestine in a more nuanced, respectful direction, and that in turn this will make NUS a less hostile environment for Jews ¨C and hopefully ¨C eventually even a welcoming one¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com