Latest news with #Abulhawa
Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Oxford Union defies trustees' threat to shut it down over pro-Palestine speech
The Oxford Union, founded in 1823, describes itself as the most prestigious debating society in the world. The student-led organisation at the University of Oxford says its "roots lie in free speech". It has hosted scores of world leaders and multiple British prime ministers. William Gladstone, Edward Heath and Boris Johnson were once union presidents. But now, the institution has been plunged into chaos over a debate it held last year on Israel's war on Gaza. Students are clashing with the union's trustees, who have threatened to shut the institution down if it publishes a video of a speech by Palestinian-American writer Susan Abulhawa. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Middle East Eye can reveal that the union's standing committee voted on Monday to publish the full video of Abulhawa's speech - but some union officials fear the president will not do so under pressure from trustees. "The Oxford Union was one of few places where we could have debates like this without the influence of moneyed interests," a senior union official who asked to remain anonymous told MEE. "Students are supposed to organise debates without being influenced by power and money. But now the trustees are pressuring the committee. "This is censorship of pro-Palestinian speech." 'Apartheid state responsible for genocide' In November 2024, the union voted by an overwhelming majority that Israel is an "apartheid state responsible for genocide". The debate made national headlines but the real scandal was yet to come. On 5 December, the union published a speech from the debate by Susan Abulhawa, a renowned Palestinian-American author, on YouTube, where it racked up hundreds of thousands of views within a few days. But in under a week the video was removed from YouTube without explanation. At the same time, another version of the video, with 73 seconds of Abulhawa's speech removed, was uploaded. Sources told MEE the decision was taken under intense pressure from the union's board of trustees, and after the president who presided over the debate, Ebrahim Osman-Mowafy, finished his term as president. Censored speech In the censored sections of the speech, heard by MEE, Abulhawa discussed the Israeli military's documented use of booby-trapped toys and systematic rape in Israeli prisons. She argued that Zionists feel divinely favoured and entitled and that they are unable to live with others without dominating them. Oxford Union declares Israel an 'apartheid state responsible for genocide' Read More » Abulhawa said the censored parts of the speech were "factual information". A union member who attended the debate told MEE on condition of anonymity that "everything Susan said was measured and factually accurate. She is a great and experienced writer." "Editing her speech is censorship of an important piece of literary work." Abulhawa brought a lawsuit against the union on 3 March, accusing it of discrimination and copyright infringement and alleging they had breached a contract signed before the debate. Sources told MEE that the union's elected standing committee, which is made up of students and serves as the institution's governing body, recently decided to publish the full, unedited video. But the Oxford Literary and Debating Union Trust (OLDUT) - the charity board that oversees the society - reportedly threatened to shut the union down if it published the full video. "Trustees were telling members of the standing committee that they would go to jail," a senior union official said on condition of anonymity. "But there was nothing illegal in the speech and no one was contacted by the police after the debate - including the speakers." In a dramatic turn this week, and in apparent defiance of the alleged threats by trustees, on Monday the standing committee held a vote on whether to "upload the full, unedited speech of Susan Abulhawa". A senior union official told MEE that nine out of the 20 committee members resigned to avoid voting. In the end, the remaining members of the committee voted to publish the video. Oxford college referred to charity regulator over £1m investment in Israeli settlements Read More » The union president, Anita Okunde, was given 48 hours to publish the video. The deadline is 8:30pm on Wednesday. In a bizarre twist, a senior union official told MEE that some members of the standing committee want the president to hold another vote or simply refuse to implement the vote's result. "Some on the standing committee are claiming the vote was invalid or that the president can ignore it," the official said. "The Oxford Union is on its knees under pressure from the trustees. "This has never happened in the history of the society." MEE has contacted the Oxford Union for comment. Abulhawa told MEE that "this is part of a widespread pattern of silencing Palestinian and pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide voices in western institutions, media and political life." Now, all eyes are on the Oxford Union's president - and on the society's YouTube channel.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bestselling author calls murdered Israeli embassy employees 'genocide cheerleaders' in social media post
An influential anti-Israel author expressed anger on Thursday towards the two Israeli embassy staffers who were murdered in Washington, D.C. last week. Author Susan Abulhawa attacked the murder victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, in an X post, calling them "genocide cheerleaders" and saying there is too much bloodshed at the hands of Israel to feel sorry for them after they were gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum. "Now we're supposed to feel bad for two genocide cheerleaders after watching these colonizer baby killers slaughter people by the hundreds every day for two years," Abulhawa wrote on social media the day after the soon-to-be-engaged couple were killed. Suspect Accused Of Killing Israeli Embassy Staffers In Dc Could Face More Charges Lischinsky and Milgrim were shot and killed while departing an event at the museum on Wednesday. A man authorities identified as 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago has been charged in the killings and faces the death penalty. Upon his arrest, Rodriguez screamed, "Free Palestine!" Read On The Fox News App Abulhawa's post continued: "I've seen the inside of too many children's skulls to give a crap about the human garbage who get off on mass murder. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a false flag to focus on manufactured antisemitism instead of the actual holocaust being committed by Jewish supremacists." Antisemitism Spiking Around The World, Adl Task Force Finds In Its 1St-ever Global Report In a previous post, Abulhawa rationalized that the murders were a natural response to Israel going unchecked for its "holocaust" in Gaza. "Natural logic: when governments fail to hold Israel accountable for an actual holocaust being committed before our very eyes, no genocidal Zionist should be safe anywhere in the world. What Mr. Rodriguez did should come as no surprise. In fact, I'm surprised it has not happened sooner," she wrote. Abulhawa also suggested that the suspect was following his conscience, adding, "Human beings with a conscience literally cannot bear to witness such evil day and day out being inflicted upon the bodies, minds, and futures of an utterly defenseless people, by such a hateful, racist, colonial state." Abulhawa is the author of several books, including "Mornings In Jenin," a novel about a Palestinian family displaced from their homes by Israel in 1948, that has sold over one million copies. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Her social media account on X is filled with anti-Israel posts. She has also written a number of articles for the digital outlet, "The Electronic Intifada," several of which accuse Israel of committing a "holocaust." In one, titled, "Israel is dragging the world into darkness," she wrote, "Israel does not belong in the modern world. It is the child of European colonialism and Europe's genocidal anti-Semitism, imposed by force and fire and Western guilt on a land already inhabited by an indigenous people." Abulhawa did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for article source: Bestselling author calls murdered Israeli embassy employees 'genocide cheerleaders' in social media post
New York Post
24-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Susan Abulhawa says Jewish museum shooting was 'no surprise'
A prominent Palestinian author and activist callously ripped the two victims of the DC Jewish Museum shooting as 'genocide cheerleaders' in a series of hateful tweets — saying she was shocked the bloodshed hadn't 'happened sooner.' Susan Abulhawa, who served as the director of the controversial 2023 'Palestine Writes' festival at the University of Pennsylvania, fired off numerous posts that apparently supported suspected shooter Elias Rodriguez's actions just hours after he allegedly killed two Israeli embassy staffers. Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, who were engaged to be married, were attending a Jewish conference of the American Jewish Committee focused on fostering peace when they were killed on Wednesday. 'Now we're supposed to feel bad for two genocide cheerleaders after watching these colonizer baby killers slaughter people by the hundreds every day for two years,' Abulhawa wrote on X the following day. 'I've seen the inside of too many children's skulls to give a crap about the human garbage who get off on mass murder,' she raged. Earlier that day, Abulhawa, who has written extensively about Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, indicated that the shooting was retribution for the pain Israel has been inflicting on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. 'Natural logic: when governments fail to hold Israel accountable for an actual holocaust being committed before our very eyes, no genocidal Zionist should be safe anywhere in the world,' Abulhawa wrote. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were Israeli embassy staffers and engaged to be married. via REUTERS 'What Mr. Rodriguez did should come as no surprise. In fact, I'm surprised it has not happened sooner. Human beings with a conscience literally cannot bear to witness such evil day and day out being inflicted upon the bodies, minds, and futures of an utterly defenseless people, by such a hateful, racist, colonial state.' The posts drew widespread backlash, with numerous other users calling on the FBI to investigate what they say was a call to violence. '@FBI this is a direct call to violence,' wrote Eyal Yakoby, a UPENN student and Israeli activist. Another user piled on, saying: 'The 'woe is me, the poor Palestinians' routine is getting old. The Nazi ghoul inside you is starting to show. Sorry, I'm fresh out of f—ks for 2 million terrorists obsessed with killing us.' Another simply said: 'You're a truly awful person.' A phone number listed for Abulhawa was not in service when The Post attempted to reach her. She did not respond to emails requesting further comment. Elias Rodriguez allegedly carried out the killing 'for Gaza.' Katie Kalisher via Storyful The Palestinian author has long been vocal about her hatred for Israel, especially since the outbreak of its war with Hamas, incited by the terror group's deadly attack on Israel. Abulhawa served as the director of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival that took place at UPenn in 2023 — weeks before the war broke out. Numerous donors at the Ivy League retracted their funds, claiming the speakers at the event had a long history of antisemitic statements. They also demanded that the school's president, Liz Magill, resign, a move she ultimately made two months later. Rodriguez's alleged violence marked an escalation of the Palestinian protest efforts outside of the Middle Eastern warzone — after he was arrested for the bloodshed, he reportedly shouted 'free, free Palestine' and told cops he 'did it for Gaza.' The 31-year-old from Illinois pulled out a red keffiyeh when police arrived to the scene.
