Jonathan Arkush has “no confidence” that Jewish students will be safe at LSE and Middlesex following Falk invitations

Board of Deputies President Jonathan Arkush has relayed his anger and disappointment to Adrian Thomas at LSE and Rebecca Griffin at Middlesex over invitations to former UN rapporteur Richard Falk.

Following interventions by UJS and Jewish Students at LSE and Middlesex, Jonathan sent the universities a dossier of antisemitic remarks made by Falk.

Jonathan said: “Richard Falk is notorious for his antisemitic comments. He is known for his endorsement of Gilad Atzmon – a well-known antisemite – and has claimed that Israel was somehow responsible for the Boston bombings. Not only that, but he has accused all Jews of being collectively responsible for the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“It is totally unacceptable that he was invited by LSE and Middlesex to spread his lies and smears. Appeals to freedom of speech do not stand up when the person being heard is likely to repeat his despicable antisemitic smears.

“I have no confidence that Jewish students are safe at LSE or Middlesex as long as the current academic leadership of these universities seems to consider it acceptable to give hospitality to antisemites.”