Israeli apartheid tensions
The university Jewish Society have reported the Palestine Society to the Proctors after they held an Israeli Apartheid week last week. As well as holding a silent vigil outside a speaker event organised by the Palestine Society, some members of J-Soc went to the Proctors, arguing that the stunt was violent and uncompromising. The Palestine Society alleges that J-Soc attempted to have their week banned, a charge which they deny.
In a letter to the press before the Israeli Apartheid Week, J-soc Presidents Elizabeth Marcus and Keren Bagon said, “[Jewish students] feel most uncomfortable and intimated by the hostile and inflammatory tones proposed by the event.” “The imagery used on the posters is violent and uncompromising and promotes the total destruction of Israel... The whole tenor is against dialogue and reasoned discussion”.
Omar Shweiki, a second year PPEist at St Peter’s, helped to organise the event and gave the closing speech of the week. He said, “Israeli Apartheid Week featured six prominent academics who spoke about different aspects of Israeli apartheid. “Three of these academics are Jewish and two Israeli. Those students who claim it was an event that discouraged interaction between Jews and Palestinians are mistaken.
This week, university Proctors met with students and Mitch Simmons, campaign director for the national Union of Jewish Students, to hear their concerns. A university spokesperson said, “The Proctors have considered the complaints, from students and others, in the context of the university’s Code of Practice on the Freedom of Speech... and have seen no evidence that there has been a breach of the code”.
In a letter to the Proctors to be sent this Friday, a body of signatories, including a Balliol professor, states, ‘The Jewish Society and its parent body the Union of Jewish Students style themselves as non-political, cross communal groups representing a consensus of Jewish concerns. ‘However, in this matter they appear to have pursued a partisan political agenda that does not respect the diversity of Jewish opinion in Oxford.
The JSoc Presidents said, “The hostile and inflammatory tones in the proposed ‘Apartheid Week’ have already made Jewish students feel most uncomfortable and intimidated. “Whilst we are in support of productive political discourse and debate, we fear that the Palestinian Society’s activity aims to do the opposite.”
23rd Feb 2006