George Galloway: The Winds of Change In The Arab World

By Jay Gatsby

The London School of Economics has recently become the hub for student political activism - at the forefront for solidarity with the Middle Eastern revolutions. Its Palestine Society has in turn been the most active student group on campus attracting the attention of not only Zionist media outlets such as the Jerusalem Post and the Jewish Chronicle for their “controversial events” but also the Israeli Foreign Ministry and The House of Commons. On Monday 7^th March they shall be hosting George Galloway who shall be giving a talk on, “The Winds of Change for a Zionist State - A New Palestinian Intifada?"

Galloway is a British politician who until 2003 was an MP for Labour. After his expulsion he set up the Respect Party. After a successful campaign he became the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow in 2005. Galloway is known for his stance on Iraq, the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as his testimony in the US Senate, 2005, where he turned a defense of allegations against him into an attack against U.S. foreign policy. Galloway is inspirational yet controversial for some: his strong and passionate views either elicit admiration or disdain. Nonetheless, Galloway is a fervent supporter for the Palestinian cause, advocating their Right to self-determination and the Right of Return – a right denied by the Zionist Israeli State, who in turn issued their own unconditional Right of Return in 1951.

The LSE Palestine Society has led a decisive and resilient campaign for the emancipation of all Palestinian peoples. The society runs two main campaigns: the Right to Education and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign. The latter concentrating on getting Eden Springs Water off campus (a water sourced from the de-militarized zone of the Golan Heights and sold illegally under international law). The society has also had a stream of events including Jews for Justice, Abdel Bari-Atwan, Ben White and many others. The Atwan event which took place on 6^th December which was on the influence of the Zionist lobby received much expected controversy from Zionists internationally who have accused Mr. Atwan and the LSE Palestine Society of preposterous claims such as being anti-Semitic and extreme (footage of the event can be found on the internet). Nonetheless the LSE Palestine Society have brushed off such absurd accusations such as inciting terrorism and cherishing violence and persevered with effective campaigns, such as twinning with the University of Gaza that have gained much support from its student body and professors and naturally fervent opposition by the LSE Israeli Society. Gabi Kobrin, President of the LSE Israeli Society has accused the Palestinian Society of having a “flawed understanding of the conflict,” as well as pursuing an “aggressive, alienating and one-sided agenda.” The Palestine Society have deemed this ironic as not only do they run campaigns to free oppressed people by not only boycott but also campaigning to empower them with the weapon of education – a defense denied to them by the Israeli State. Moreover, the LSE Palestine Society offered to host a joint debate with the Israeli Society on “What is Zionism?” Naturally this was rejected.

The LSE Palestine Society are adamant to not be deterred by hostile Zionist accusations and in turn endure in their struggle along side the Palestinian people in solidarity for their emancipation. Thus the society encourages everyone to attend their event with George Galloway on Monday 7^th March (details can be found below). If we stay silent in the face of oppression, dispossession or occupation than we diminish our humanity. If something lessens theirs worth as human beings, then it lessens ours too. To act in their defense, is really to act in defense of yourself.

Speaker: George Galloway


Topic: "George Galloway: The Winds of Change for a Zionist State - A New Palestinian Intifada?"


Date: Monday 7th March


Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm


Venue: LSE Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House   

  (http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsanddirections/findingyourwayaroundlse.aspx)

Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191420004213926

LSE Palestine Society & ‘The Academic Boycott: Helpful or Harmful’

By Zachariah Sammour

On January 13th 2011 the LSE Palestine Society and LSE  Israel Society jointly hosted a debate entitled ‘The Academic Boycott: Helpful or Harmful’ which saw Dr John Chalcraft of the LSE speak in favour of the motion and Professor Daniel Hochauser of UCL oppose it. 

The debate was, in many ways, a success for the society and for the general BDS movement. Not only did the event serve to make a mockery of comments made by some members of the LSE student community that the Palestine society has ‘no regard for student welfare’ and have been ‘pursuing an aggressive, alienating and one sided agenda’ this year, but it also provided an excellent platform for the academic boycott which has largely trailed in the shadows of the wider call for economic boycott of Israel. 

Most importantly, however, the debate is indicative of the shift on LSE campus, and hopefully across the UK, from vacuous and futile attempts by Israeli groups to legitimise and justify the illegal and immoral occupation of Palestinian lands and towards discourse aimed at establishing the best tactics to bring about an end to that occupation. 

The debate itself was of an extremely high quality, with two distinguished academics providing rigorous and insightful analysis of the efficacy and merit of the call for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions. Despite two isolated incidents, one in which an audience member was harassed and called ‘Hamas’ and another in which an LSE academic was insulted, the crowd and the speakers conducted themselves in a respectful and polite manner and contributed to an interesting and thought provoking event. 

The motion eventually fell by a slight majority, no doubt partly due to the fact that the LSESU Israel Society were able to register over 160 non-LSE audience members, however the very fact that the issue was debated at such a prestigious academic institution and jointly hosted by the Israel and Palestine societies is a massive step forward for the movement.

The fact that an Israeli group would take part in a debate reflects the shift in UK campuses from support for the illegal Israeli occupation to an acknowledgment of its impediment to lasting peace in the region. This event represents an active effort by both societies to explore tactics aimed at ending this occupation, and bringing about a just solution to the conflict.

It seems that the goalposts have shifted, and this must undoubtedly be seen as a victory for student advocates for Palestinian rights, and we commend the Israel society for taking the bold step forward in engaging in constructive, progressive dialogue focused on tactics that could end the occupation, rather than attempting to continue to defend an increasingly obvious immoral and illegal occupation as other similar groups at other universities seem to do. 

Hats off to LSESU Israel Society and Israel Society President Gabi Kobrin for being a part of the event, and for taking the bold step in moving the debate forward to more progressive and meaningful territory.

(  for footage of the event: http://vimeo.com/19154855  )