Photograph: Cherwell

An Oxford student yelled "Kill the Jews" at Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, when he spoke at the Oxford Union on Monday night.

The student was removed by security after he shouted the Arabic phrase, "IdhbaH al-Yahud", which means "Slaughter the Jews". The incident has been reported to the Proctors' Office. It was also mentioned in an Israeli Embassy press release on Mr Ayalon's speech.

There was a great deal of protest during the speech, which was disrupted on many occasions by anti-Israeli protesters criticising Israel's recent conduct in relation to the Palestinian people.

The first interruption was only a few minutes into the speech, when a woman stood up and read from the Goldstone Report, a critical UN report on Israel's conduct during the recent Gaza war, to a mixed reaction from the crowd - many supportive, but others' critical. One person shouted, "I didn't come to hear you talk."

In reaction to the interruption, Mr Ayalon criticised the protester for just reading out someone else's work, saying "I'm not sure she even understood what she said."

She was soon followed by a woman from southern Lebanon who heckled Mr Ayalon and stood holding pictures throughout the rest of the talk.

Other interruptions included a man holding a Palestinian flag shouting "You are a racist," "You are a war criminal" and "You will be tried", to applause from much of the crowd, before being ejected.

Danny Ayalon represents Yisrael Beitenu, a nationalist party, and is a controversial figure even among supporters of Israel. Whilst his talk was frequently interrupted, he managed to convey a combination of moderate and hardline views on the subject of the Middle East in his speech, he blamed Iran for "everything bad going on in the Middle East at the moment"; and claimed that instead of meeting the Israelis halfway on the subject of peace, Israel is giving 95% and Palestine 5%.

However, he also admitted that Israel has to make some concessions to the Palestinians. Arguing that "I do feel for the Palestinians", he said that he blames successive Palestinian leaderships for their present plight.

Meanwhile, even within the chamber the shouts of the protesters outside the Union gates could be heard. Many were shouting slogans, which ranged from "occupation no more", to "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" in support of Palestine.

The protests were organised by PalSoc. They were joined by members of Oxford Anti-War Action group.

Comments

The Jew

10th February at 9.59am

x

yep. the phrase pretty much summarizes the Arab attitude to Israel. It should not be taken lightly.

Anonymous Member of Union

10th February at 10.00pm

x

Mr Ayalon's comments also reflect Israeli attitudes to the Palestinians and should not be taken lightly. He told the audience that the "Jewish people" (not the Israeli citizens - Christian, Muslim and Jewish - he is elected to represent) have a "right" to historical Israel (the borders of which he didn't care to define)

JN9

10th February at 10.18pm

x

Is it appropriate that one outrageous and undeniably anti-semitic comment by an isolated individual forms the centre-piece of this report? It only serves to avoid tackling the protesters' issues head-on, reducing them to a shrill, homogenous group - anti-semitic by implication.

mimi

10th February at 10.32pm

x

Proof the Israel lobby have got the Cherwell, too. The student (who didn't, incidentally, shout 'kill the Jews' but rather a historical reference to a battle between Muslims & a Jewish tribe in Arabia in 6AH) was a lone protester unrelated to the organisers. Predictably he is now being used to discredit the entire demonstration, which was a resounding success in its condemnation of Israeli apartheid

Common Sense

11th February at 12.49am

x

It just goes to show that although it is possible to be anti-Israel without being antisemitic, the distinction is lost on the people who actually protest. They aren't anti-Israel for its policies, they're anti- Israel because they hate Jews. Whoever said "IdhbaH al-Yahud" should be rusticated, and probably deported.

Doris

11th February at 1.17am

x

Ayalon did not say that "Palestine is only giving 5%." He said that the Palestinians only give 5%. Palestine does not exist and the kind of behaviour in the Chamber on Tuesday does nothing to promote it.

Anne Ohn

11th February at 9.50pm

x

I am not sure what you wrote actually meant something- although it is very witty.

Browndog

15th February at 3.37am

x

Good to see that tolerant Islam is still doing its best to seek reconciliation and negotiation by using simple and memorable straplines and slogans. I look forward to the day when the idiots on both sides of this issue are no longer given the publicity they seek. Talk sense, talk to each other, negotiate a peaceful resolution.