On Monday, the student circle Boycott-Disinvestment-Sanctions (BDS) at the ULB denied any anti-Semitic behavior. One of its actions during the Israeli Apartheid Week last week at the Solbosch campus was described as anti-Semitic by the Belgian Jewish Students Union (UEJB). “Last Wednesday, the BDS organised an action at the ULB campus as part of the international “Israeli Apartheid Week”. It was designed to inform students about Israel breaking international law. We put up a large banner that represents the Wall that Israeli authorities have put up, for the most part in occupied Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice has declared it illegal”, the BDS said in a press release.
“Following this action, the UEJB put out a press release criticizing our organisation and accusing us of anti-Semitism, based on misleading video editing. At no point have we attacked the members of the Jewish community, in Belgium, Israel or elsewhere. Our actions have always been anti-racist and will remain so. We strongly reject any form of anti-Semitism, and to accuse us of it is extremely grave and defamatory”, it added.
“By labeling criticism of the Israeli government ant-Semitic, the UEJB wants to stop all political criticism of the Israeli government’s actions, and therefore discredit the BDS campaign launched by the Palestinians”, it concluded.
(Source: Belga)
