United student campaign attacked in Israel

MEMBERS OF Maavak Socialisti (CWI Israel) and other students at Jerusalem
University are facing attacks for standing in elections to the student union
leadership.

The slate, Student Social Front, includes Israeli and Palestinian students
and is in opposition to current right-wing leadership.

One member, who works on campus, has been sacked and the Palestinian
student on our slate has been denied his rights including additional time for
his studies in a second language, Hebrew.

The university security has prevented meetings from taking place,
confiscated leaflets and taken down all posters. In practice this means that
only the student organisations of the government parties can organise
political activity in the university.

This is clearly an attack on the right to organise but also a way of
intimidating Palestinian and all students from being politically active and
opposing the existing union leadership.

Our members’ campaign, questioning the pay of students’ union full timers
and challenging their seats, has obviously created a threat and a viable
alternative to their running of the union. It has had a very good response on
campus and massive support by the student population.