In light of the NEC meeting on 18th July, UJS Campaigns Director, Josh Nagli has said:

Today, NUS NEC once again showed its complete lack of commitment to Jewish students by voting for a motion that means that Jewish students will have no say in who represents them on the NUS Anti-Racism, Anti-Fascism (ARAF) committee. It will now be down to NEC to elect the ARAF committee and therefore to decide on behalf of Jewish students who represents them. This decision is undemocratic and excludes the 8,500 Jewish students that we represent.  

From fighting the National Front in the 70s, to fighting National Action more recently, Jewish students have always been at the forefront of ARAF work on campus and with NUS. The vote taken today by the NUS NEC offers no guarantee that their autonomy about their involvement is welcome.

It was no surprise that the NUS President, Malia Bouattia, who had the deciding vote, once again showed that she has absolutely no interest in defending Jewish students’ interests by voting to remove the ability of Jewish students to shape for themselves the student movements’ fight against racism and fascism.

Malia is still yet to adequately answer the concerns of Jewish students regarding her past rhetoric, and today provided further proof that Jewish students are right to feel unsafe in the national union that she leads. After today’s vote, it is clear that NUS, and specifically the NUS President, has no desire to listen to Jewish students.