OPINION: Nothing prepared me for the disgrace that was the Oxford Union Israel debate
The hate-filled atmosphere, brazen antisemitism and glorification of violence in that chamber was not just offensive – it was dangerous
Having witnessed the explosion of antisemitism at Oxford University after October 7, I thought I had already seen it all. Yet, last week’s Oxford Union debate on Israel surpassed my worst expectations. The hate-filled atmosphere, brazen antisemitism, and glorification of violence in that chamber were not just offensive—they were dangerous.
The Union debate was ostensibly about an inflammatory motion: “This House Believes Israel is an Apartheid State Responsible for Genocide.” In practice, it became a platform for extremist ideology. And yet, what was much worse than the speakers’ hateful speech was the wholehearted endorsement of antisemitic violence by a large majority of the audience, most of whom were Oxford University students.
At the lowest point of the debate, one speaker for the proposition, Miko Peled, openly described acts of terrorism during October 7 as “heroism,” brazenly taunting Jewish audience members to arrest him. The crowd gave its loudest whoop and cheer of the night, while the union’s president refused to intervene.
Even if some of the students were just mindlessly joining in the hateful clamour; even if we assume that the 200 cheering represent the core of student activists − there is no denying that extremism and antisemitism have taken hold within our student body. They often come together.
Extremism results from an inability to reflect complex realities, an inability to hear points of view that are not one’s own, and an inability to integrate facts that do not fit into simple emotional narratives. However, extremism also results from a failure by educational institutions to challenge Manichean – oppressor versus oppressed – worldviews, a failure to ensure that multiple points of view are considered, and a failure to reject all hateful speech. Extremism often entails antisemitism.
Miko Peled openly described acts of terrorism during October 7 as “heroism’
Sincere and respectful debate, based on facts, is the ultimate challenge to extremist ideologies, but last week’s event at the Union was not a debate, and for students like me, it was only a new low in the ongoing erosion of civil discourse and the increasing inroads of extremism at our University, where shouting the loudest often wins over reasoned argument.
Our university, the country’s most prominent producer of civil servants, journalists, and prime ministers, must do more to promote sincere debate and it must do more to combat extremism and antisemitism among its students.
This is particularly important when it comes to educating and debating on the messy reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The absence of any productive debate on Israel on our campus has been stifling for most students who care about the Jewish State. One of the secondary traumas of October 7 was to learn about the ignorant and all too often prejudiced attitudes of our fellow students regarding the region. This was among the reasons why some of us established the Oxford Israel Society, to finally provide a space for courageous inquiry and debate about the Jewish State.
This would not have been possible without the support of the Pinsker Centre. For years, it was hosted eloquent, high-calibre speakers, often world leaders, on campuses up and down the UK. These thought leaders do not shy away from tough questions on the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They understand that this topic requires thoughtful, nuanced explanations, and their approach creates conditions for effective dialogue.
To be clear, thoughtful engagement does not mean pandering or compromising on fundamental truths. It means presenting Israel as a complex, democratic society striving for peace while facing extraordinary challenges. It means exposing the hypocrisy of those who single out Israel while ignoring real apartheid states and genocidal regimes. It means being relentless in condemning antisemitism, wherever it appears, while advocating for justice and peace for all peoples in the region.
Make no mistake, we students who care about the State of Israel face a difficult task. We must simultaneously challenge extremism and antisemitism, advocate for Israel, and create spaces for nuanced discussion. This requires resilience and strategy. We must build coalitions, engage with open-minded peers, and be unafraid to challenge bad-faith actors on all sides. This is our responsibility, and it is one we must embrace with seriousness and resolve.
I am deeply grateful for the senior academics and leaders, including Baroness Ruth Deech, Professor Sir Vernon Bogdanor and Professor Raymond Dwek, who signed an open letter condemning last week’s disgraceful event at the Oxford Union. Their voices provide an important counterweight to the vilification of Israel and Jewish students that have too often remained unanswered, while extremism and antisemitism was allowed to flourish.
The events of last week were a low point, but they are also a reminder of what is at stake. Let us rise to the challenge—not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come.
- Laura Butcher is a 4th year undergraduate in modern languages at Merton College, University of Oxford, secretary of the Oxford Israel Society, Pinsker Centre Policy Fellow
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