Anti-semitism debate divides Leeds Uni

As Warwick votes on another referendum, students in Leeds University are divided over a motion in its Union Council to adopt the working definition of anti-Semitism proposed by the European Union’s racism watchdog.

The working definition put forth by the EU’s Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) says, “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.” Under the definition, “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination” can be seen as anti-Semitic.

Several societies, including Leeds University’s fractions of Palestine Solidarity Group and Amnesty International societies have disagreed with this motion as they feel it will allow any sort of criticism regarding the ongoing Palestine-Israeli conflict to be dismissed. The debate centres on the extent to which Israel should establish itself as a state for Jewish people alone as opposed to all its citizens. The UK’s Parliament defeated a similar motion, favouring a broader definition of all hate crime.

Leeds Student Palestine Solidarity Group said that “no one is advocating anti-Semitism.” They only “seek to highlight a conflict that has been going on for decades and to encourage free thought and speech regarding this particular conflict.” It expresses concern that the EU definition would brand any critic of the Israeli state as “anti-Semitic”.

If that is the case, it argues, the premise would insinuate that leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein and Desmond Tutu were racist; all of whom spoke out against Israel’s conduct during the Middle East conflict.

“Why does opposing Jewish self-determination make one anti-Jewish?”, asked True Torah Jews.

Laura McFarlane-Shopes, a representative of the Leeds Student Palestine Solidarity Group, commented further that “Under current Union policy we are well within our rights to express our opposition to Zionism and defend the rights of Palestinians who suffer discrimination and human rights abuses on the basis of their race, within Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. “

Ms. McFarlane-Shopes, also a member of Leeds’ Union Council, went on to state that motion “will stifle a perfectly legal debate. Students across the world have been key to every social movement, including the Civil Rights Movement in America and the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa and students should continue to debate and be active in issues of today.”

Though the EUMC serves to give a united, working definition of Anti-Semitism, the definition put forward in 2003 was always proposed as a temporary classification and was in fact rejected by the UK Parliament in favour of a motion that clarified a definition of all hate crime.

Jak Codd, who put the motion forward to the Leeds Referendum, said that it was intended “to purely protect the Jewish students of Leeds University”. The figures collected by Leeds University do show that out of 25 anti-Semitic incidents occurring in Leeds during the past year, 21 involving students. Codd states that the motion to be put forward to the Referendum at Leeds University is to galvanise Leeds University and Union into taking more action to protect the Jewish students as he feels they have been “quite lax.”

He says there are several reasons for proposing such a motion and none of them are to shut down debate regarding the Palestine-Israeli conflict. Aside from raising awareness about the anti-Semitic incidents that do still occur, he also feels it will pressure the University into taking a stricter stance on racist attacks and incidents of any kind. Asked on whether he feels the motion will shut down any type of debate on the Palestine-Israeli conflict, he disagreed. “The Jewish people and the Israeli State are two separate entities,” he said. He went on to encourage political debate and stated that the Jewish Society does not shy away from “such an important issue that definitely needs a platform.”

However, the motion seems to have caused a controversy among several prominent Jewish groups. Commenting on it, the Jewish peace group, Jews for Justice for Palestinians stated that “We find this unhelpful, to put it mildly, and believe that it harms the struggle against anti-Semitism rather than helping it, by severely distorting what the real problems are.”

Warwick’s Students Union has remained silent on this issue.

Discussion of the issues surrounding the Middle East conflict has been encouraged by the United Nations and many governments across the world. It remains to be seen whether this motion will affect students’ right to free speech at Leeds. However, if passed, it could have a significant impact on students across all universities.