Dear SPME

Here is a report from the UK chapter of SPME.Dr Howard KahnCo-director SPME-UKA recent meeting of the Edinburgh University Jewish Society, to be addressed by Ishmael Khaldi, was disrupted by anti-Israel demonstrators (see below for a report from the ‘Jewish Telegraph’).

The UK chapter of SPME has asked the President of the Society if the report was accurate. He has replied that on the whole it was correct, and that action will be taken against the disruptors. As yet, no action has been forthcoming.

The UK chapter of SPME also wrote to the Principal of Edinburgh University asking him what action the University proposes to take. Edinburgh University issued a statement indicating that the University ‘is committed to fostering a culture that permits freedom of thought and expression within a framework of mutual respect. The University’s Dignity and Respect policy states clearly that “freedom of expression within the law is central to the concept of a university”. The policy also affirms the importance of ideas and views being open to rational discussion and challenge, in a constructive manner. We believe this process is integral to creating knowledge and improving understanding. The demonstrators contravened this policy. We disapprove of their actions that prevented the constructive exchange of ideas and opinions. The University, through its Chaplaincy and working with EUSA [Edinburgh University Students Association], is bringing students and student societies together to discuss the events of 2 February with the goal of ensuring future events can proceed in a respectful and dignified manner. We are also alerting sponsoring societies and groups to the need to communicate details of such events to the University at a very early stage so that situations such as that occurring last week can be avoided.’

Other than this statement, Edinburgh University appears to be taking no action. SPME-UK does not consider that to be sufficient.

An Israeli diplomat was prevented from speaking at an Edinburgh J-Soc event by a mob of anti-Israeli demonstrators.

Ishmael Khaldi, who works for Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, was due to have spoken on Wednesday as guest of the International Relations Society.

However on Sunday night, the Society decided to withdraw support from the event, stating: “After long deliberation, it has taken the view that hosting a representative of the Israeli state is effectively unjust to the Palestinian people who live under an apartheid regime.

“Even though the society should remain neutral, we feel that the cost of neutrality is at the expense of millions of people suffering in an unjust and untenable regime.

“Allowing a representative of the Israeli state, regardless of their personal identity, to speak at our university through a platform provided by an academic society is not allowing freedom of speech, but perpetuating and justifying the gross violation of human rights that take place under occupation.

“The event is still going ahead just not with the society’s support.”

This left Edinburgh J-Soc member Matt Carroll with two days to re-organise the event.

He said: “As soon as Mr Khaldi started to speak, the group of demonstrators, including members of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, moved down to the front.

“It was a rather tense atmosphere – I wasn’t aware how intimidating they could be. Our speaker waited for 50 minutes, trying to talk to them, before leaving.

“It’s acceptable for the pro-Palestinian lobby to bring speakers onto the campus to promote their totally one-sided point of view, but not for anyone else.

“Debate and democracy were the main victims. I spoke to some of the other students who were there, some of whom are opposed to Israel. They said that these idiots were stopping them from hearing what he had to say.”

Edinburgh J-Soc president Tim Abraham said: “As a religious society, we usually don’t intervene in politics but the International Relations Society abandoned him before the event.

“There was going to be a question time in the end where anyone was welcome to debate with Mr Khaldi, but apparently the Students for Justice in Palestine are against the freedom of speech they pretend to fight for and only allow their politically-oriented speakers to preach their message.

“No debate was allowed due to their actions. Protesters turned it into a very hostile environment, calling Mr Khaldi a Nazi and other provocative names, showing middle fingers and so on.

“They also verbally assaulted student chaplain Rabbi Garry Wayland.

“When Mr Khaldi tried to answer them in a polite manner and start a debate, an older protester ripped off the microphone attached to the table, vandalising university property.

“Other students who were there just to listen to Mr Khaldi speak, shouted to allow him to speak and open a discussion, but were blatantly ignored by the protesters.”

He added: “We feel this action is an insult to the freedom of speech on campus and we, together with Mr Khaldi will take further action on this.

Rabbi Wayland said: “For Jewish students, the role of Israel is something you have to think about in how it relates to your life.

“People have different views about it and it’s a shame we can’t have an open forum to discuss this in a civilised way.

“They were shouting things like ‘Israel murders babies’ and ‘Free Palestine from the river to the sea’. Their aggression and closed-mindedness was shocking