Oxford Union ‘apartheid Israel’ debate accused of breaking the law by glorifying violence

More than 300 academics have signed an open letter addressed to William Hague, the newly-elected Oxford chancellor, stating that a recent Union debate in which speakers praised the October 7 attacks on Israel broke the law.

The signatories, including Baroness Ruth Deeth KC, Former Principal of St Anne's College, and Sir Vernon Bogdanor CBE, Former Vice Principal of Brasenose College, condemned the “dangerous rhetoric, provocative behaviour, and acts of intimidation” that sullied the event.

Taking place on 28 November, the debate scrutinised the motion: “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide”.

The letter, which was organised by the Pinsker Centre, a campus-based foreign policy think tank, went on to decry the “incendiary remarks made by some speakers in support of terrorist violence”.

The open letter said: “Such statements are morally reprehensible and also in clear violation of the law. Glorifying acts of violence under the guise of advocating for Palestinian rights serves neither justice nor peace. It undermines the legitimate efforts of those seeking a peaceful resolution to this longstanding conflict and alienates those who might otherwise be willing to engage in constructive dialogue.”

Jonathan Sacerdoti, opposing speaker at the debate and the son of a Holocaust survivor, wrote in the Spectator on Monday that the Union had “disgraced itself”, having been breached by forces of “bigotry, hatred and mob rule”.

Sacerdoti, who was joined by three other opposing speakers, two of whom were not Jewish, described the hostile environment of the chamber, from which one pro-Israel activist was ejected after dismissing audience members as “terrorist supporters”.

He described one woman standing during his speech to shout: “Liar. F*** you, the genocidal motherf***er.”

He wrote: “they interrupted every pro-Israel speaker with jeers, coughs, and outright abuse,” adding that Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a senior Hamas founder and leader who defected to Israel and joined him on the opposing side of the debate, “was met with jeering derision and cried of ‘traitor’ and ‘prostitute’ (in Arabic), as he recounted his extraordinary story of moral courage and bravery.”

Sacerdoti also wrote that “Jews who might have attended were clearly too afraid to show up: many had written to me privately to tell me of their fears”.

The open letter addressed these reports, stating that “the university and the Union have a duty to ensure that Jewish students—and all minority groups—feel safe, respected, and protected from hate and harassment.”

Lord Hague told The Times on Wednesday that he had ­received the open letter and said he “shares the concerns of the signatories”.

Hague added: “I have seen the open ­letter and, from what I have heard of last week’s debate … share the concerns of the signatories. When I take office as chancellor … I will do my utmost to ­encourage a culture of debate that will at times be fierce and strongly felt but should always be respectful and never intimidating.”