Campaigns calling on students to cut ties with the National Union of Students have been launched at three universities, following the election of Malia Bouattia as NUS president.
Anti-Zionist Malia Bouattia was elected on Wednesday at the national conference in Brighton.
Students at Cambridge, Manchester and York universities have called for their unions to disassociate with the NUS.
Ms Bouattia has been heavily criticised over her past comments about Zionists and an open letter signed by 45 Jewish society presidents during her election campaign posed questions on her “past rhetoric”.
In 2011 an article she co-wrote referred to Birmingham University as a “Zionist outpost” and a video clip which emerged on Tuesday showed Ms Bouattia using the term “Zionist-led media” during a speech. Her election sparked outrage among Jewish students and organisations.
Ms Bouattia has also come under fire for opposing a motion which condemned Daesh.
Jack May, who is leading the Cambridge campaign, told The Huffington Post: “The election of Malia as NUS President is a horrifying message to Jewish students in the UK. Attention has been repeatedly drawn to her anti-Semitic comments.
“Unfortunately, Malia’s election is just the latest event in a tide of antisemitism sweeping UK universities.”
Jewish Cambridge University student and campaign supporter Adam Crafton, said: “This is a deeply disappointing day for Jewish students at Cambridge.
“The NUS claims on its website to be a ‘a leading exemplar of equality and diversity.’
“Regrettably, the rise of Malia to NUS President clearly contradicts this mission statement.”
At York University a cross-party campaign will see members of the Labour Conservative, Liberal Democrats, Greens societies join forces to demand their union gives up NUS membership.
Meanwhile at Manchester University the Conservative Society tweeted that it would begin its own disaffiliation campaign.
“It was decided at last night’s event that our society will support and campaign for Manchester SU to disaffiliate from the NUS.”
