Statement by Aviva Slomich, International Campus Director at CAMERA, on the election of Shakira Martin
“CAMERA welcomes the election of Shakira Martin as the new President of the National Union of Students (NUS). The defeated incumbent, Malia Bouattia, has peddled antisemitic conspiracy theories, talked about the “Zionist led media” and called Birmingham University a “Zionist outpost“. She openly supports Palestinian terror, and rejects the idea of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Her policies as President made Jewish students feel like they did not have a place and voice within the student community.
We encourage Ms. Martin to take a different approach, and to engage more positively with Jewish students on campus. It is encouraging that she joined the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) on a trip to Poland for Holocaust Memorial Day, and we hope that she continues to take part in supporting Jewish students on campus. Under her leadership, we hope the NUS becomes a place where Jews feel safe, pro-Israel students feel that their voice can be heard without fear, and the NUS can live up to its goal of making universities and colleges a home for all.”