UMSU Activist

Proposer: Noah Ellis

Seconder: Richard Lamb

THIS UNION NOTES
1. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone
has the right to education.”
2. Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states “Everyone has
the right to life, liberty and security of person.”
3. The policy passed at the UMSU General Meeting on March 7th 2007 entitled ‘Palestine
and the Right to Education’ which twinned UMSU with the student union of Al Najah
National University, Nablus.
4. Palestinian students are regularly disrupted on their way to university by Israeli
checkpoints.
5. A ‘martyrs’ week was facilitated by the Al-Najah student union celebrating the actions
of 19 alumni of Al-Najah who proceeded to become suicide bombers and murder
innocent civilians.
[Source: http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/11_04/najah.htm ]
6. On Sunday September 23rd 2001 a recreation of the Sbarro pizza restaurant bombing
was facilitated at the university. The exhibit’s main attraction was a room-sized reenactment
of the bombing including broken furniture splattered with fake blood,
human body parts and pizza slices strewn around the room. [Source:
http://www.kerenmalki.org/Press/NYT_Sbarro_Recreated.htm
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2001/sep/24/gruesome_exhibit_marks/ ]
7. Over the past month more than 50 students have exercised their right to free speech
and stood against the current plaque in the foyer of the Students’ Union.
THIS UNION BELIEVES
1. That from the motion on 07/03/07 entitled PALESTINE AND THE RIGHT TO
EDUCATION everyone has the right to education and we at UMSU should work to
help this right be realised in areas where education is being infringed upon.
2. That UMSU has a responsibility to use its links with Al-Najah to promote progression
of peace and tolerance.
3. That terrorism has no place within this Union, we should not be affiliated nor support
any organization or institution that promotes or facilitates such atrocities.
4. That education in the region has been hindered since the beginning of the intifada in
September 2000.
5. That the Arab/Israeli conflict is not a simplistic right/wrong situation. Any attempt to
present it in this way does not do justice to either side.
6. That education is the key to gaining a full and proper understanding of the very
complex situation in the Middle East and that education and empowerment of young
people is the best hope for a peaceful solution.
7. That many members of UMSU feel uncomfortable that UMSU has twinned with the
student union of a university with such links to terrorism.
8. That for UMSU to give blanket support to the actions of one side in such a conflict over
the other, or to pass policy to that effect, alienates students with close links to the
other, causing them to feel uncomfortable in their own union.
9. That UMSU should be a safe and welcoming space for all its members and that
members should feel comfortable using Union facilities and Union buildings.
10. That terrorist attacks aimed at civilians (such as the suicide bombing campaign against
Israeli Civilians carried out by Palestinian Terrorist organisations since the beginning
of the 2nd Intifada in September 2000) are wrong. They contravene Article 3 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and must not be supported in any way by
UMSU or affiliated organisations, and must be condemned.
11. That the majority of both Israelis and Palestinians support a peaceful end to the conflict
and there are proactive, apolitical organisations this Union can work with to support
peace efforts in the region.
THIS UNION RESOLVES
1. To invite Al Najah to accept a progressive statement written by the proposers of this
motion and approved by Union Council denouncing terror and disassociating it from
all terrorist organisations. This should be received by UMSU by 14/01/2008.
2. To freeze its association with Al Najah University whilst awaiting their response to
the aforementioned invitation.
3. To amend the plaque that currently stands in the foyer of the University of
Manchester Students’ Union if Al Najah chooses to accept the aforementioned
statement.
4. To read: The University of Manchester Students’ Union is twinned with Al Najah
Students’ Union, Palestine. Al Najah, the largest university in the West Bank made a
statement of both peace and prosperity by denouncing terrorism and disassociating
from all known terrorist organisations. We, the students of Manchester University
fully support the Palestinian right to education and recognize Al Najah’s statement as
a positive move towards a peaceful end of the Middle East conflict.
5. In the event that Al-Najah refuses the proposed invitation, all ties between UMSU
and Al Najah will be severed with immediate effect and a letter will be written to Al
Najah explaining our decision.
6. To invite One Voice to speak as guests of the Manchester Students’ Union Executive
as an example of an organization striving for peace.