A National Union of Students presidential candidate has made a reference to the “Zionist-led media”, it has emerged.
In a video clip leaked anonymously to student newspaper the Tab NUS Malia Bouattia said: “With mainstream Zionist-led media outlets - because once again we’re dealing with the population of the global south - resistance is presented as an act of terrorism.”
According to the Tab, in the same speech at a conference on “Gaza and the Palestinian Revolution” Ms Bouattia said that Middle East peace talks were a “strengthening of the colonial project” and appeared to back violent Palestinian resistance.
She also said: “To consider that Palestine will be free only by means of fundraising, non-violent protest and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement is problematic… My issue is that whilst at times it is tactically used or presented as the non-violent option, it could be misunderstood as the alternative to resistance by the Palestinian people.”
These comments were made at an event organised by the Tricontinental Anti-imperialist Platform and Invent the Future in September 2014, where Ms Bouattia was speaking in her official role as NUS black students officer.
According to The Tab the video had been removed from YouTube at some point since September 2014.
Ms Bouattia has already been criticised for past comments about Zionists including calling Birmingham University a “Zionist outpost”.
In response to an open letter from Jewish students calling on Ms Bouattia to address past comments, she said: “It seems I have been misrepresented. I am extremely uncomfortable with insinuations of antisemitism.
"To take issue with Zionist politics is not taking issue with being Jewish”.
The election for NUS president will take place today in Brighton.
