BDS backlash: KCL students slam BDS decision in petition to KCLSU trustees

KCL students have set up a damning petition against the recently passed BDS motion.

In a shock result, the BDS motion was passed at Tuesday’s SGM. But now, one hundred and thirty King’s students have slammed the decision by signing a petition.

In the passionate open letter written to KCLSU, King’s students have urged the union’s trustees “to exercise their powers” and declare the recently passed BDS resolution as “invalid.”

These students have spoken out against Tuesday’s decision, saying:

“This resolution goes beyond the responsibility and competences of KCLSU and is not compatible with or in furtherance of the Students’ Union’s charitable objects.

“The motion cannot possibly ‘legally constitute official policy or decision of any body of this Union.”

And according to these students, the recent BDS motion even violates everything from basic Charity Law, to the continued status of KCLSU as a student union in accordance with the Education Act.

Adam Malczak, a 3^rd year IP student, told The Tab:

“I want people to understand that this letter takes no sides. It does not support or oppose either the BDS movement or Israel as such. It does however support the rule of law at our own Student Union.”

Even alumni of the University have been quick to hit back at the motion.

Dr Asaf Romirowsky of the US based Middle East Forum, called on King’s to remember “its long tradition of research and scholarship” and “stand up against polemicists and abusers rather than legitimise them by offering a platform to promote their racist agenda.”

KCL AP Protest. Potentially a significant part of the ‘radical minority.’

Sami Steinbock,  President of the Israel Society, told The Tab:

“Hardly any students took part in this referendum. In fact, less than 2% of King’s students had voted either for or against the motion.

“The result could not possibly reflect the views of the vast majority of our student body.

“By over 100 students voicing their concerns at this discriminatory motion, the real voice of our community is speaking out. We don’t believe in boycotts, we stand for the rule of law.”

Henrique Laitenburger, a trustee for KCLSU and one of the leading opponents of the resolution, was also keen to point out the consequences of BDS. He said:

“The BDS proponents at KCLSU are operating under the assumption that the purpose of a Student Union ought to be to contribute to the rectification of real and imagined injustices in the world, when effectively, its goals are far more prosaic: the promotion of the welfare of students on campus, as stipulated by several constituting texts of SUs.

“The BDS motion does, as seen at the SGM, little to act in favour of this principle, on the contrary, it undermines it severely by leaving a significant share of the students at King’s College disenfranchised and ostracised.

“This cannot be in the interest of KCLSU, let alone any student at this college.”

And some are hitting back at Areeb Ullah, KCLSU Vice President for Academic Affairs, for supposedly contributing to creating such an atmosphere.

In an article published recently on Roar, it was noted there have been repeated calls for him to resign – apparently after having ‘incited hatred.’

Vice President Areeb Ullah has been called upon to resign, after apparently having ‘incited hatred.’

The trustees are meeting to discuss this today at 6:00 PM.

Students can sign the petition online here until 5:30PM today (only King’s students are eligible to sign):

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/open-letter-to-kclsu-board-of-trustees