UK students, academics back protest against Israel envoy visit to LSE

Students, academics and sabbatical officers from a number of UK universities have come out in support of London School of Economics (LSE) students in protesting against the on-campus appearance of Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely.

A statement signed by over 120 people, said: “Hotovely has a well-documented history of Nakba denial, describing the expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 as a “very popular Arab lie.” She has made her abhorrent, racist views on Palestinians and Arabs apparent.”

“Inviting speakers that show a blatant disregard for the safety and welfare of Palestinian students sets a dangerous precedent in higher education. It normalises anti-Palestinian racism and dismisses the lived experiences of Palestinian students and academics, as well as Israeli state violence and apartheid. It is imperative that students’ unions and universities resist such attempts.”

Condemning efforts “to delegitimise the right to freedom to protest and speech”, they added that they stand with LSE students who protests against Hotovely, “as they take a stand against the racist anti-Palestinian and an pro-apartheid sentiment that accompanies Hotovely.”

Adding that their action was “a democratic right that must be protected and respected.”

“We will continue to resist a racist settler colonial project and we will not be silenced.”

On 9 November, scores of students took part in a peaceful protest against the LSE Debate Society hosting Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely.

The following day, British ministers condemned what they described as the intimidation of the Israeli ambassador in London. Interior Minister, Priti Patel, said she was disgusted by the treatment of Hotovely. While British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, and Middle East Minister, James Cleverly, also condemned the incident, which they described as threatening, aggressive and an unacceptable attempt to silence Hotovely.

READ: Politicians are lying about the Palestine student protest at LSE