The recent election of Malia Bouattia as President of the National Union of Students (NUS) in Britain has sent shockwaves across many of its university campuses. Bouattia, the former Black Students’ Officer of NUS, has been criticised for making so-called anti-Semitic remarks and for delaying an NUS motion to condemn ISIS in 2014. Her appointment has already led the Universities of Lincoln and Newcastle to disaffiliate with the national union, while several more British universities are planning to vote on motions to cut ties with NUS in the coming weeks.
After Bouattia’s election, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) congratulated Bouattia from its official Twitter account, stating that it looks forward to working with her and the NUS in the coming year. At a time when USI should be distancing itself from NUS as a result of the divisive remarks expressed by its new President, it is doing exactly the opposite. The failure of USI to condemn Bouattia’s election sets a worrying precedent, effectively espousing that students should overlook her vilification of a minority group.
Bouattia gained national attention in the UK in 2014 after she led a charge to vote against an NUS motion condemning ISIS, claiming that such a motion was “justification for war and blatant Islamophobia”. More recently she has referred to her alma mater, the University of Birmingham, as a “Zionist outpost” while also making reference to the “Zionist-led media”. At an event organised by the Tricontinental Anti-Imperialist Platform she appeared to back violent Palestinian resistance and referred to Middle East peace talks as “essentially the strengthening of the colonial project”.
By using terms such as “Zionist outpost” in a pejorative sense, Bouattia has propagated negative stereotypes of Judaism and Jews. .
Bouattia claims that her issue is with Zionist politics rather than Judaism. This excuse, however, is consistent with many on the regressive left who use the increasingly blurred line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism to justify their comments. In the days following her victory, an editorial in the Jewish Chronicle stated that her election “will legitimise the expressions of anti-Semitism that some already think are appropriate on campuses”. This assertion unfortunately appears to be accurate. By using terms such as “Zionist outpost” in a pejorative sense, in reference to a university having a large JSoc (Jewish Society), Bouattia has propagated negative stereotypes of Judaism and Jews. .
What is worrying is that USI has failed to recognise the seriousness of the situation. As an organisation which has been a champion against racism, it has clearly been blinded by its shared positions with Bouattia on issues such as access to education and student fees. Even though the Jewish population in Ireland is minimal – less than one per cent of the entire population – opposition to racism should be absolute. By aligning itself with Bouattia, USI is sending out the message that anti-Jewish prejudice is more acceptable than other forms of racial prejudice.
The election of the first black Muslim woman President of the NUS should be a cause for celebration, but this is unfortunately not the case
The opinions held by Bouattia are part of a worrying increase in anti-Semitic sentiment sweeping the British left. This week, the British Labour Party launched an independent investigation into cases of anti-Semitism within the party after Naz Shah MP and former London Mayor Ken Livingston were both suspended for anti-Semitic comments. Although criticism of the Israeli government is more than justified at times, this criticism can often descend into anti-Jewish prejudice which – like any other form of racial prejudice – should be condemned indefinitely.
The election of the first black Muslim woman President of the NUS should be a cause for celebration, but this is unfortunately not the case. Even though her agenda has much in common with that of USI, her controversial opinions should not be overlooked. Until USI condemns Bouattia’s comments it cannot classify itself as an organisation that is opposed to all forms of racism. It should distance itself from such controversy sooner rather than later.
