Anti-semitism makes universities no-go areas for Jewish students
AN academic leader has claimed rampant anti-Semitism has led to some of the UK's leading universities becoming no-go zones for Jewish students.
Baroness Deech has claimed institutions could be failing to combat hatred against Jews
Baroness Deech, a former higher education adjudicator and law professor, said that institutions' fear of offending potential benefactors in the Middle East could be causing them to fail to combat hatred against Jews.
A number of incidents have been reported of Jewish students claiming to have been physically attacked or verbally abused.
Palestinian and Israeli students and academics CLASH
In August a review of anti-Semitism at the Oxford University Labour Club found "clear" incidents of racism against Jews, while in October a committee of MPs found that comments by the president of the National Union of Students describing Birmingham University as a "Zionist outpost" smacked of "outright racism".
Ruth Deech said: "Many universities are in receipt of or are chasing very large donations from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states and so on, and maybe they are frightened of offending them.
A number of Jewish Students have said they have been physically attacked or verbally abused
"I don't know why they aren't doing anything about it, it really is a bad situation."
I don't know why they aren't doing anything about it, it really is a bad situation
She added: "Amongst Jewish students, there is gradually a feeling that there are certain universities that you should avoid."
Saudi Arabia has been a major donor over the last 10 years.
Sultan bin Abdulaziz alSaud gave £2 million to Oxford University’s Ashmolean Museum in 2005
In 2005, Sultan bin Abdulaziz alSaud, the late crown prince, gave £2 million to Oxford University's Ashmolean Museum, while Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, has given more than £8 million to Exeter University over two decades.
The chief executive of Universities UK insisted the sector resoundingly condemned anti-Semitism and was clear that there was "no place" for it.