NUS failed to sufficiently challenge antisemitism resulting in bullying within the organisation, report finds

An independent investigation into antisemitism in the National Union of Students (NUS) has found that it failed to sufficiently address antisemitism resulting in cases of Jewish students being “subjected to harassment”. 

The report, funded by the NUS and led by Rebecca Tuck KC, resulted in 11 recommendations to improve the organisation. These include “discussions about Israel/Palestine”, a potential “external speaker policy”, and additional antisemitism training for NUS staff and officers. 

The report, which included numerous interviews with Jewish student activists, found that: “Many Jewish students who have chosen to interact with the NUS have found it a hostile environment – particularly at conferences, by being elected officers or via the NUS/Union of Jewish Students (UJS) interactions.” 

The report highlights the “poor relationship” between the NUS and UJS, and highlighted discrimination based on both faith and “attitudes towards Israel/Palestine”, something the report noted to have “unsettled British campus life at multiple levels for over four decades”. 

The NUS needs drastic change to see improvements in how they deal with antisemitism complaints and how Jewish students are treated

– Joshua Beach, President of Warwick Jewish Society

These have resulted in “numerous instances where Jewish students have suffered antisemitism because of assumptions they are ‘Zionists’, and assumptions about what that means”.  

Since publication, the NUS has apologised to the Jewish community and pledged to implement all of the report’s recommendations. 

When asked about the report, Joshua Beach, President of Warwick Jewish Society, told The Boar:  “The NUS antisemitism report is a good start for addressing some of the problems that are faced by Jewish students.  

“However, the report is not a solution to these problems, merely a recognition of them. The NUS needs drastic change to see improvements in how they deal with antisemitism complaints and how Jewish students are treated.  

“The problems identified in the report are not constrained to the NUS, these issues can be found everywhere in student politics. Change is needed across the board to make Jewish students feel more welcome.”