NUS presidential candidate ‘apologises unreservedly’ for vile ‘Jews’ tweet
Shaima Dallali - favourite to become new NUS president - apologises after tweeting the Islamic 'Khaybar' chant which threatens "Jews" with an attack by "the army of Muhammed."
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The leading candidate to become the new president of the National Union of Students has been forced to apologise for a tweet in which she posted the words of an infamous Islamic chant threatening “Jews” with an attack by “the army of Muhammed.”
Shaima Dallali is the overwhelming favourite to replace current NUS president Larrisa Kennedy later this year, and has been endorsed by the current leader.
But Jewish News can reveal that Dallali posted an inflammotory tweet stating:”“Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud.”
In Islamic tradition, the chant – which means, “Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning” – is used as a battle cry when attacking Jews or Israelis.
It refers to the Muslim massacre of the Jews of the town of Khaybar in north western Arabia in 628 CE.
It was chanted on the streets of London and elsewhere last May at protests by Palestinian campaigners during the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Community Security Trust has said the chant is “effectively a call for Jews to be killed.”
Dallali, a president at City University students union, admitted posting the remark in November 2012.
After being challenged about the content on Wednesday she issued a statement which read:”Earlier today I was made aware of a tweet I posted 10 years ago.
“During Israel’s assault on Gaza I referenced the battle of Khaybar in which Jewish and Muslim armies fought. I was wrong to see the Palestine conflict as one between Muslims and Jews.
“The reference made as a teenager was unacceptable and I sincerely and unreservedly apologise.”
The revelations about Dallali emerge only days after the outcry over the decision by NUS to invite the rapper and conspiracy theorist Lowkey to a centenary event later this month, an invitation they later withdrew.
Jewish News has also detailed how the currently NUS leadership is facing claims it has quietly dropped a commitment to the IHRA antisemitism definition.
Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday of his concern that UK universities have been “tolerant of antisemitism for too long.”
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