| "Racist" Israeli Goverment Official At Leeds University |
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| Tuesday, 13 March 2007 | |
 To whom it may concern, Hope you are all fine and doing well. I understand that some of you might be thinking this email has nothing to do with them, yet I thought to send it to all of you for you do represent Leeds University and its Union. It has been drawn to my attention that the Director of Public Affairs for the Israeli Embassy, Ronit Ben-Dor, is coming to speak on Israel's perspective on the Middle East Conflict at 6:45pm on Tuesday 13th March in Conference Auditorium. As a Muslim, a Palestinian, and a Justice supporter, I thought it is a duty to email you as I do not want the University I graduated from to be labeled as providing a Platform for RACISTS. Ronit Ben-Dor is a representative of an Internationally known "Illegal Occupier", ISRAEL. She has given a lot of speeches round the country, one of which was in Manchester over a month ago. In those, she has been attacking Islam as a faith, and passing her propaganda aiming to improve Israel's image (neglecting any mention to the victims, the Palestinians). She has also spoke with racist venom and falsely against Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. One is today proud that the University he/she has graduated from is supporting freedom of speech, and is allowing the oppressed to express their views. Yet, it would be a big shame to see the same university who has twinned to support the right to education for Palestinian Students, giving a platform for an advocate of an illegal state on campus. This is dangerous and does not do any good to students on campus, and in fact would harm them. The talk deceives the students, and prohibits them from getting the fair and right picture in regards to what is happening in the Occupied Palestinian territories, and the Israeli barbaric behavior. I hope from all those of you who care, to investigate this issue and consider it seriously. Thanking you and hoping that a correct logical action would be taken. p.s. I, along side a lot of supporters for peace, have campaigned together on campus for 5 years (still ongoing) against the Israeli brutality, and would regard it as a pity if Our university is advocating the acts of the illegal Zionist state of Israel. Waleed Kamal These are the email addresses of the Union Executives and the University Secretary: sports@luu.leeds.ac.uk, bretton@luu.leeds.ac.uk, ed@luu.leeds.ac.uk, socs@luu.leeds.ac.uk, fcs@luu.leeds.ac.uk, welfare@luu.leeds.ac.uk, comms@luu.leeds.ac.uk, womens@luu.leeds.ac.uk, J.R.Gair@adm.leeds.ac.uk Submitted by Member of The Public.           Readers have left 14 comments.
Tours:
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So much for freedom of speech - freedom of speech means freedom even if you violently disagree with it, not simply on your terms.
As for Israel being an 'illegal' state, that's just absurd...
(1)
2007-03-13 17:56:37
er:
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"This is dangerous and does not do any good to students on campus, and in fact would harm them. The talk deceives the students, and prohibits them from getting the fair and right picture in regards to what is happening in the Occupied Palestinian territories, and the Israeli barbaric behavior."
Aren't students capable of thinking for themselves? Who is to judge that your position is "fair and right?" Sounds distinctly Orwellian to me...
(2)
2007-03-13 17:58:38
JA:
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I consider the following as non-negotiable to secure peace in Palestine: Right of return of refugees, dismantling of settlements, the return of Jerusalem and the dismantling of the wall. These are non-controversial and constitute the basis of a thirty-year international consensus of what Israel has to agree to in order to bring peace to the region.
That being said it does not mean that spokespersons of a racist regime should not be afforded an opportunity to peddle the repugnant views of her apartheid government. I may not like her views or those of her government but I defend her right to air them especially at university. On the same basis I reserve the right for activists to challenge her views be it at university in the UK, the USA or elsewhere, in the marketplace or in any other public place. If we organise and mobilise and demonstrate day-nand day out then the struggle for justice will win. Palestinians in the occupied territories, in refugee camps, in the exiled leadership, in the broader diaspora and the international solidarity movement together with Arab Israelis and progressive Jews inside and outside Israel should organise for daily coordinated and conguent actions in churches, mosques, schools, workplaces, parliaments, sports stadia and civic halls. That type of action led by a robust Palestinian leadership inside the country and the exiled leadership will win. It has happened before. Palestine can be free and the Arabs and jews can live in justice peace in under twenty years if we are prepared to work at it. Closures of lecture platforms is not the way to go. rather use the lecture as an opportunity to organise. But let even the racist apologist speak. We fight ideas with better ideas. For success we need to organise and be prepared to sacrifice. For many the struggle for Palestine is a bad career move. Israelis are prepared to pay the price. Are we prepared to do the same?
(3)
2007-03-13 20:51:57
Surely Joking:
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How can this guy claim that Leeds University has a good record on freedom of speech?
This is the university whose student union passed a motion to ignore any complaints from the Jewish Society as long as that complaint wasn't directly connected to Judaism. Is that freedom of speech? And which group proposed the motion? The Palestinian Solidarity Group, of course, of whom Waleed Kamal was the chairman.
(4)
2007-03-14 00:44:52
Raja:
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We can't let this representative of the Zionist state, come and lecture students about the Middle East, until Israel changes its policy towards the Palestinians.
Her rant about Islam, will just feed hatred to students about Muslims. You should protest about this outside the uni.
(5)
2007-03-14 08:55:08
no radicalism:
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This letter, besides having a stupid point (let's protect freedom of speech by stopping this person speaking) contains all the classic extremist terminology.
Calling Israel racist or apartheid or illegal are all hyperbole designed to radicalise the listener. Will MPACUK still insist that there is no radicalisation of Muslims in British universities?
(6)
2007-03-14 10:24:03
Raja:
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I agree with JA. I Yes, let her come and spread her hate mongering ideas to the students. She has a right to spew her hatred.
I just hope the students who go to listen to her lecture, find out what a racist she is and condenm her speech as such.
(7)
2007-03-14 13:11:21
Abdul Hakim:
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Does anyone else find it interesting how alot of the members of the "public" have leapt to the defence of this sick minded person?
Me thinks that some retards (*cough* israel lovers *cough*) should realise that they ain't gonna change the fact muslims are understanding slowly but surely that Muslims need to defend their civil liberties and those of their brothers around the world. Oh Retarded Lovers Of Israel - just watch mpac rub your faces in the dirt. Keep up the good work mpac. may Allah curse those that support israel.
(8)
2007-03-14 17:46:39
Taz:
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Interesting how the racist Zionist commentators would be the first to cry anti-Semitism if it suited them. The only extremism on campus is Zionist extremism.
(9)
2007-03-14 20:33:20
Waleed Kamal:
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Response to TOURS:
If freedom of speech is that which you are speaking about "even if i violently disagree with it", then allow me to tell you: "The freedom of speech im on about is that which is not offensive, and is based on logical educational facts. Clearly from your statement "ilegal state obsurd", you are one of those who just wants to bark and mislead people. I suggest you go and join Ben Dor, as she migh teach you some issues to speak about. It is true you will still be weak, yet better than nothing. Cut your crap, and face the truth " Israel is an illegal zionist Occupying genocidal apartheid state" You may not understand it because yourmind has no place for it, yet keep trying as you read it over and over again. As for SURELY JOKING: Yes it is PSG who submitted it, and i was not only the chairman, but the founder too incase you want to know. I have been campaigning against propaganda machines like yourselves for the last 8 years. Speak of propaganda, stop spreading lies, this issue of misquoting the motion does not work, so stop saying it prevents J-soc from complaining, it does not! It stops them from barking may be, it stops them from offendin? YES, it stops them from destroying our events? yes. Enjoy it.
(10)
2007-03-15 00:10:28
RSD:
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Waleed Kamal appears not to be representing the entire story of what is going on at Leeds Univesity.
Leeds University has cancelled a speech by Matthias Küntzel entitled, "Hitler's Legacy: Islamic Anti-semitism in the Middle East" citing security concerns. The article says: "In a statement yesterday, two academics in the Leeds German department, which had organised the event, claimed the university had bowed "to Muslim protests". That statement added: "The reason the university gives for the cancellation of the talk and seminars by Dr Küntzel are security concerns. 'These concerns are founded on emails received by the office of the Vice Chancellor. The sudden cancellation is a sell-out of academic freedom, especially freedom of speech, at the University of Leeds. Dr Küntzel is quoted as saying, "My impression was that they wanted to avoid the issue in order to keep the situation calm. My feeling is that this is a kind of censorship." He also said the contents of emails described to him did not overtly threaten violence but "they were very, very strongly worded''. So, within one week we have an attempt to prevent a member of the Israeli embassy from speaking on the grounds that Israel is a "racist, illegal state" and now we have the University bowing to Muslim pressure to stop someone suggesting that some people in the Islamic world are anti-Semitic. And all brought to you by the university who defended a motion (passed by the student union) to prevent the Jewish Society from making legitimate complaints. A bastion of intellectual enlightenment or a haven for radical Islamic extremism? We should all be very worried by the attempts by student pressure groups from all sides to suppress debate at Leeds Univesity. To bow to such pressures will ultimately result in the decline in academic standards, and the reputation of the university. If we are confident of our position we should not be fearful of rational debate. To attempt to suppress debate merely indicates that we are unable to support our own arguments. This is why dictatorships imprison, torture and kill intellectuals.
(11)
2007-03-15 09:29:45
RSD:
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Re; The Illegal Zionist State
In many of the comments there is the reference to the "illegal Zionist State / Entity", followed by claims that Israel has transgressed international law. This is a contradictory and unsustainable position. In the first instance what defines legality as a state? Actually nothing in international law. A state obtains recognition and acceptance as a state by the UN. Once this occurs international law applies to it as a state and is enforceable in the Int'l Court. Membership of the UN explicitly determines that the state submits to int'l law. However if a state were determined not to be recognised by the UN then no int'l laws would apply to it and its forces could be held accountable under those laws. (Consider the Republic of China (not PRC) which ceased to be recognised by the UN as the legitimate representatives of China and now int'l law generally cannot be enforced against it. It agrees to submit to it voluntarily) Thus if Israel is illegal it doesn't exist, thus it cannot occupy another state nor break any law. The Israeli state then merely becomes a civilian faction dominating Palestine, if this gfaction is able to control all of Palestine it could feasibly assert its right as the legitimate government in the absence of any other effective government. I realise that this is a boring detail but it underlines why the Palestinians and others find it impossible to bring Israel to the Int'l Court. I am really saddened and disappointed that alleged university students cannot grasp simple logicial arguments and law.
(12)
2007-03-15 19:11:28
Jesus Maria:
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Dear Waleed Kamal,
It should always be the MUSLIM way. And if we don’t agree, then you kill us, you cut our heads or blow us up. Only last week you and your fanatic friends, tried to blow up two cars in London and later on they blow a 4X4 vehicle in Glasgow airport. Thanks our Lord, no one was killed. Well, apparently these murderous attempts were carried out by MUSLIM doctors that were allowed by the (naive) British, to work in the UK. You see Mr. Camel, you and your MUSLIM brothers, talk too much, hate too much and murder too much. So Please take your lack of tolerance and stick it into your ...., because sincerely we had enough of you and your MUSLIM brothers. If you don’t like our hospitality in the UK, USA, France, Germany, Mexico, or Canada, just go back to your country of origin and leave us in PEACE!
(13)
2007-07-05 13:08:47
Waleed Kamal:
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Jesus Maria:
Though you are not worth a second of my time, yet for the sake of others i will reply. 1.The Muslim way you are speaking about is the only way which you and others like you have taken all their rights and lived in peace and harmoney.(your own history bears witness of this, regardless of your faith). 2. By accusing me that I and my fanatic friends blew up the cars, I suggest you report to the police in London that I am one of the suspects! Allow me to say that your mouth is simply full of shit, for in the same sence, I have the full right to say the following: You and thugs like you, weather in Britain or the US, or Probably the "not lasting for long so called state of Shitty Israel" are blowing up Iraq, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Lebanon, Kashmir, and Afghanistan. Who is killing whom? Is it Muslims? It is only ignorants like you who focus on an incident and ignore the big scale cause. Over a Million have died in Iraq so far, over 7 million Palestinians have been made refugees, and God knows how many are killed daily all around the Globe because of your crimes. 3. And yes you are right, I do not Like your hospitality, and wish to go Back to my country, but in order to do so, scum like you must F**k off first and leave my country alone. Remember, If you hit a dog it will bite you, and we are speaking about human beings here. Take my advice and think well of the above, for otherwise you will never see peace. If you are truly seeking peace then i suggest you work for it. p.s. I dont even believe in This whole london car senario! It is simply made up " another movie of yours" in order to justify your behaviour and external policies.
(14)
2007-07-08 06:01:20
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