NUS president-elect has supported boycott of Israel

The new president of the National Union of Students has said she supports a boycott of Israel.

Incoming student leader Zamzam Ibrahim, 24, from Greater Manchester, said she was “proud and humbled” to have been elected and vowed to fight racism.

The NUS president-elect, whose Twitter bio bears a Palestinian flag, appears to have written on social media last year: “And we will continue shouting, Free Free Palestine!”

Another message, which refers to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), says: “That’s not the line. The only boycott I know is BDS.”

A message sent from her account reads: “70 years of Bloodshed… 70 years of Displacement… The Freedom of Palestine is a student issue!”

A post sent from her Facebook account last year, which urged universities to join the BDS movement, said: “Stop funding this illegal regime! Join this campaign and take action in your institution!”

A spokesperson for the Union of Jewish Students said: “We hope that NUS President-elect Zamzam Ibrahim will continue NUS’ important work in creating a safe campus environment for Jewish students which has been prioritised over the past 2 years.

“We look forward to seeing Zamzam deliver on her election promise of combating antisemitism, which must include opposing the delegitimisation of Israel, and anticipate hearing from Zamzam in order to continue developing our relationship with NUS.”

In her election manifesto, Ibrahim pledged to fight a “massive” rise in racism on campuses.

In her manifesto, she wrote: “There has been a massive rise in racism, xenophobia, sexism on our campuses and an alarming increase in deportations.

“Our government is responsible for much of this hate. With the hostile environment and far-right rhetoric from MPs, we must campaign for a fairer world – on and off campuses.”

Currently vice-president of society and citizenship at NUS, she will take up her new role in July.

Former NUS president Malia Bouattia, who lost her bid for reelection to Shakira Martin in 2017, attracted controversy for describing Birmingham University as a ”Zionist outpost” which smacked of ”outright racism”.

Bouattia concluded her farewell speech by championing her support for Palestinian rights, telling her audience: “Free and liberated education, liberation at the heart of everything that we do, and free, free Palestine.”

Ibrahim and NUS declined to comment when contacted by Jewish News.