A students’ union leader at a London university that has launched an investigation into antisemitism on its campus has said she would support terror group Hamas in a conflict with Israel.

Islam Alkhatib, a student official at Goldsmiths, University of London, whose role is to “dismantle the barriers between our members”, also recently said she mourned the death of a prominent Palestinian terrorist leader.

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Alkhatib's post lamenting the death of Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan (Photo: Twitter)

Details of the comments by the welfare and liberation officer come after the university called in a senior barrister to investigate anti-Jewish hate at the institution.

Last month, Goldsmiths announced it had set up the probe after a leading Jewish academic was falsely accused of being a “far-right white supremacist” and Jews complained they had been banned from a student meeting that discussed “defending Palestine”.

However, earlier in the same month, Alkhatib posted a social media message lamenting the death of Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan, who died after an 86-day hunger strike in an Israeli prison. She wrote: “No words could possibly describe or speak to this loss.”

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Goldsmiths University (Photo: Getty Images)

Adnan was a prominent member of Islamic Jihad, which is banned in the UK, and has been linked to a string of suicide bombings. Alkhatib’s comments came after she previously registered her sympathy for the now-outlawed terror group Hamas.

Posting on Twitter in 2015, she said: “I clearly don’t identify with the ideology Hamas promotes. However, in the event of a conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, I would take Hamas’ side. (Duh).”

A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “We welcome Goldsmiths’ investigation into antisemitism on campus.

“This latest revelation of extremist rhetoric from its students’ union welfare and liberation officer [shows] that this independent investigation could not come quick enough.”

A spokesperson for the Union of Jewish Students said they were concerned by Alkhatib’s posts, adding: “Student leaders should be mindful of their language and the impact of their words.

"We encourage Jewish students at Goldsmiths to share their experiences with the inquiry into antisemitism.”

A spokesperson for Goldsmiths, University of London said: “The Students’ Union is an independent organisation which has its own governance.

"We continue to support freedom of speech and… would always urge anyone in our community to express views in a way that is respectful, evidenced and critically within the law.

"Within this, we remain alert to any active support or facilitation of the aims or purposes of any proscribed organisations.”

Alkhatib has been contacted for comment.