Students at Scottish university launch campaign to bar ‘Zionists’ from all societies

In the wake of the Green Party’s ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion, a pro-Palestinian student group at one UK university has launched a campaign urging all student societies to adopt such a definition in an attempt to exclude Zionists.

As reported by the Telegraph, the Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society has distributed leaflets providing advice on how other societies can exclude Zionists, in order to “create a Zionist free environment and protect Palestinian/pro-Palestine members of your society.”

It recommends that societies seek to change their constitutions by adding an anti-Zionism clause, adding Zionism alongside “Racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism and religious discrimination” as things which will not be tolerated.

Raphi Leon, President of the Union of Jewish Students, told The Telegraph that the ‘Justice for Palestine’ society’s stance was “appalling”, describing it as “an antisemitic and discriminatory campaign, and it must not be accepted as permissible conduct on campus.

“We expect the university and SRC [Students’ Representative Council] to prevent societies from adopting this clause into their constitutions and to take action where any students are involved in this project. Jewish and Israeli students must be protected and included in spaces on campus.”

At its party conference earlier this month, the Greens passed a “Zionism is Racism” motion, with members also explicitly rejecting an amendment designed to protect Jewish party members who attended Synagogues and other Jewish communal institutions which could be identified as “Zionist”.

In the 1970’s in response to a concentrated campaign by Soviet bloc countries alongside the Arab League, the United Nations adopted a “Zionism is Racism” policy. In the wake of that announcement, the UK saw a nationwide campaign by far-left groups to ban Jewish Societies from campuses.

A spokesman for the University of Glasgow said it would not accept the exclusion of Zionist students from societies.

The spokesman said: “The university would not accept any prohibition of members from affiliated societies on the grounds that they are pro or, for that matter, anti-Zionist. This would be a breach of equality legislation.

“The university upholds the principles of freedom of thought and free speech on campus. We call on all members of the community to treat others with respect and tolerance.”