Edinburgh University students vote overwhelmingly for boycott of Israeli goods.
A motion to boycott Israel was overwhelmingly passed at the Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) General Meeting on Monday 14th March. In what was described as a ‘landslide’, the motion, ‘Boycott Israeli Goods in EUSA shops and supply chains’ received around 270 votes in favour, with only 20 students voting against.
Despite the meeting requiring over 300 students to attend for it to be quorate and for decisions taken to be binding, the huge level of student support for the motion means that EUSA will be under severe student pressure to adopt it as official policy.
Proposed by students from Edinburgh University Students for Justice in Palestine, the motion noted that Israel is an apartheid state and resolved to affiliate EUSA to the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, to boycott Israeli goods in EUSA supply chains and shops, and to mandate the EUSA executive to lobby the University to do the same.
After the motion was discussed for around 15 minutes, it was put to a vote and the result was so comprehensive that no count was required. The passing of the motion led to rapturous applause in the George Square Lecture Theatre, where the General Meeting was held, and was by far the most welcomed result of the night.
Similar motions have been passed at SOAS, Manchester, and Sussex Universities in recent years. This latest result seems a clear indication that students in the UK are continuing to play a prominent role in the campaign for a just peace in Palestine.
The motion came in the wake of recent protests against Israeli officials speaking at the University. In February, student activists shut down a talk by Ishmael Khaldi, advisor to Israeli foreign minister Avidgor Lieberman, and, two weeks ago, over 100 students protested against the invitation of Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor to the University.
The proposer of the motion, second year Maths and Music student Daniel Beesley said:
I am overwhelmed with the outcome of the General Meeting. It is great to see students of Edinburgh University once again standing up against injustice, just as they did during Apartheid South Africa. EUSA represents that views of students and we are sure they they will take on board what was clearly the opinion of the vast majority who attended the GM, and endorse the boycott.
The motion’s seconder, Liam O’Hare, a student of International Relations, said:
Israel has occupied, ethnically cleansed and practised apartheid against the Palestinians for 63 years. The BDS movement seeks to force Israel to abide by international law and is gathering huge momentum year on year. I think the General Meeting proved that the student population at Edinburgh University do not want goods from an Apartheid state on campus and, despite the meeting narrowly not being quorate, I fully expect EUSA to act upon this motion.
Liam O’Hare now well known for his anti English racism as well as antisemitism. Liam O’Hare first class honors in being a twat.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/scottish-professor-against-boycott/
Do these young students know what they are boycotting? I don’t think so let’s see Israeli Goods! Why don’t we start with all students switching off your lap tops throw them in the bin because Intel core2 is an Israeli Product? In fact most of the applications come from Israel. So go in throw them in the bin and start writing your essays by hand. I really think the youth of today especially the ones at University have no idea about what is really going on in the world today! Do your research before you vote cause frenkly you are all hypocrites . Oh and buy the way all of you who are gay just remember that in Gaza and all the other Muslim countries they hang you from a Crain but in Israel you have the same rights as any other gender.
Sorry Steve, but what does class matter- middle or otherwise when people are standing up against oppression and violence?
You probably wouldn’t know being knee-deep in your holocaust remarks. Yeah I’m sure Hamas want to see a holocaust, you probably think they had something to do with it in Europe..
And by the way, referring to the holocaust in meaningless ways like you have is extremely disrespectful to those that lost their lives in this terrible crime of human history, please think about that instead of just spreading hate for people that had nothing to do with this crime.
sorry, who are the spoilt middle class twats here? the students, or the Palestinians calling for the boycott?
Silly jew-hating spoilt middle class twats.
oh to be young.
When my old man was 21 he was looking at the rough end of a concentration camp. Something Hamas – if they didn’t deny it ever happened – wouldn’t mind seeing again.