Anti-Israel conference faces delay

They have been told that the new conference dates will have to be outside academic term time, and that the sessions must not clash with university examinations.

The ruling will come as a major blow to organisers who had already advertised tickets for the event on their website, stating it would take place from March 31 until April 2.

It a statement on the UCC website, the management team also noted how the “proposed conference has previously been the subject of cancellation at the University of Southampton and of judicial review proceedings in the English High Court”.

UCC added: “The proposed event is not a university-sponsored or promoted event but has been invited to the university by a number of academic staff.”

There had been widespread criticism of UCC’s plan to host the conference from within the Jewish community.

Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush said: “The decision of the University College Cork to postpone the conference is one which we welcome.

"The organisers appear to have arranged and even publicised the event without the courtesy of telling the university and questions remain as to the guise under which the organisers managed to book the university space. None of this surprises us given that the event lacks any semblance of academic credibility.

"The university will no doubt continue to weigh carefully whether to host such a propaganda gathering given its organisers' record to date.”