[This article was originally published in UEA’s official student newspaper, Concrete.]
Since October 7th, the Israeli-Palestinian War has dominated news outlets and social media platforms globally. Many have reposted and retweeted in support of either Israel or Palestine from the comfort of their own home, watching and swiping on footage of war-torn cities and crying children. In the midst of this however, it felt as though something was being lost in the frenzy of media coverage about bombs and artillery – the experiences of people suffering, and the stories they had to share.
Last issue, our amazing Global Editor, Syed Hamza, wrote an in-depth history of the Israeli-Palestinian War. This issue, I wanted to investigate the human side to this conflict, how it is directly affecting students on campus, those right on our doorstep. I spoke with the Presidents of UEA’s Jewish Society (Bailey Prevezer) and Arab Society’s President (Ameer Al-Magidi) to discuss the concerns and experiences of students on both sides of the conflict.
In terms of how both Presidents became involved in their respective societies, they both cite the community aspect as a motivating factor. Bailey, Jsoc’s President, is a fourth year at UEA who told me she became involved as a result of being ‘really good friends with the whole committee’ around two years ago, and wanting a space to celebrate her Jewishness with others. Arab Soc’s President, Ameer, a third-year Pharmacy student, similarly shared when he joined UEA in 2019, ‘one of the first things [he] did was help reactivate the Arab Society with a group of friends’. He emphasised the committee’s priority had been to make sure ‘it represented all Arabs regardless of faith, the country they’re from, different traditions[…] to give them a sense of belonging on campus’.
Both Presidents also shared with me their personal ties to Israel and Palestine. Bailey spoke candidly to me about her friends and family in Israel. She joked, ‘I have five/six cousins [in Israel] … maybe more. I’m meeting new cousins every time they come over’. She spoke fondly about how last summer she was in America with her friends from Israel and the great time they had. Ameer on the other hand was ‘born and bred in Baghdad, Iraq’. He shared about having moved to the UK ‘back in 2016 after losing [his] best friend in a terrorist attack’. These personal ties the presidents hold to Israel and Palestine have encouraged their participation in cultural activities and events. Ameer highlighted that his background and ‘seeing how the media portrays people from [my] region has made me stick more to my culture and traditions’, wanting to create a safe space for others in his position.
When looking back on the effects of October 7th, both presidents shared the anxieties and emotional turmoil members of their community had been experiencing. ‘I woke up on October 7th and the first thing I did was I messaged my parents,’ Bailey told me. ‘I was like “Have you heard from my family?” I messaged my friends and was like “I hope you’re okay”’. She reiterated that it’s not just people within Jsoc who have been suffering, ‘there’s people on the other side and in between who have family around there [Israel and Palestine] who are also in the same situation. Knowing people in that area, having physical people who have meaning to you and you don’t know what’s happening is one of the most terrifying things that you could go through, save from being in that zone yourself.’
She also highlighted that not everyone supporting Palestine was automatically ‘a Jew hater’. ‘I believe some of them are just seeing something and thinking, “I want freedom for every person”, which is valid. But they don’t seem to get the nuances of the situation, and that’s what is really difficult.’
Ameer shared the experience of his best friend, whose name he could not mention for the sake of his safety, who has firsthand ‘experience with the [Israeli] occupation since he was born’. He showed a great deal of empathy for his friend, admitting: ‘I can’t even imagine the stress and depression he’s going through during these tough times. He has been avoiding coming to campus, he stopped going to the gym with me, and he missed a lot of lectures this semester[…] his mental state has not been good’. For members of Arab Soc who have family in Gaza, Ameer expressed the fear they are harbouring, not knowing whether their family is ‘alive or not (due to Israel cutting the internet in Gaza)’.
Despite the war continuing with no clear end in sight, both societies have done everything they can to support their members during these unprecedented times. Bailey spoke to me about Jsoc’s film nights and their successful Friday Night Dinner event where 54 people attended. ‘The biggest event ever for Jsoc,’ Bailey told me, ‘That was incredible’. I asked both Presidents whether such events helped boost morale, to which Bailey confirmed that ‘In difficult times, [Jewish people] come together. It’s really supportive’. In a similar way, Ameer spoke of the collaborations Arabsoc has been doing ‘with many societies on campus to hold informative events and fundraisers for Palestine’. He cited their most recent events, ‘an exhibition for Palestinian children in the Hive’ and a ‘huge fundraiser on Sunday the 3rd [December] which was also open for the public. It was great seeing that big of a turnout from members of the community on a rainy Sunday, […] united in support for Palestine’.
Nonetheless, both Presidents expressed to me how discrimination and prejudice against members of their society has continued on campus despite their efforts. ‘Personally,’ Ameer told me, ‘I was called “Taliban” in the square right after putting up some signage in the Hive stating, “From Kashmir to Palestine, occupation is a crime”’. He also shared that Arab students have reached out to him after being ‘asked to take scarves off which have the Palestinian flag on it at the UEA Library’.
Bailey has similarly been overwhelmed by how many people have reached out to her since the conflict’s escalation. ‘I didn’t think that I’d have to be in a situation when I’m President[…] getting messages at 11 o’clock at night all the way from when I wake up in the morning[…] having to comment on all this stuff[…] I didn’t think I’d ever be in a position where Concrete would reach out to me[…] I’ve done things I never thought I’d have to do’. In terms of anti-semitism faced by members of Jsoc, Bailey revealed she had a ‘whole sheet of examples’. She spoke to me about some of the messages put up in the Hive, as well as someone they know having a doughnut thrown at their window. ‘They had a menorah in the window and someone threw a doughnut at it,’ she told me.
Overall, both society presidents expressed frustration with the lack of support they had received from the university for their members and cause. Ameer claimed ‘The Student Union has been quite supportive, taking the issues we raise with them seriously’, but that the University, ‘as an educational institution’, has shown ‘silence regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza. […] We were expecting the university to take a clear and principled stance in support of Palestine.’ He compared the way the university had handled the Israeli-Palestinian War to their handling of the Russian-Ukraine War, when UEA ‘rightly condemn[ed] Russia’s invasion’ and ‘raised the Ukrainian flag on top of one of the buildings on campus’. ‘We expected the university to do the same in this instance,’ he added, ‘instead of being neutral all of a sudden.’
Bailey acknowledged ‘there’s only so far the university can go[…] they have to tread lightly because you’ve got freedom of speech, freedom of expression’. However, she still claimed the university had not done enough to protect and support Jewish students. ‘I’ve been trying, and I’ll keep trying[…] But there is so much more that could be done,’ she said.
The Presidents differed in how they believed their members could be supported by the university. Ameer spoke about wanting UEA to adopt the Jerusalem Declaration on Anti-Semitism, cut ties with Barclays Bank and raise the Palestinian flag as a gesture of mourning. Bailey, on the other hand, spoke about conversations she had been having with the Vice-Chancellor to protect and support Jewish students on campus. The future for both communities remains in an uncertain position, but what is certain is that neither society will allow its members and their concerns to be ignored.
A UEA respondent told Concrete ‘Vice-Chancellor Prof David Maguire has met students who have been personally affected by the conflict and heightened tensions on campus. In a recent message to all students and staff, he reiterated calls for respect and compassion.
He said: “I have offered support and will continue to listen to all associated with our University. We share a common and profound concern for the loss of life and injuries to people experiencing this terrible conflict.
“I know that for many in our community this is a deeply distressing time. I want to assure you that our top priority is to keep all students and staff safe and ensure your wellbeing on campus. This requires all of us to act respectfully and compassionately towards others, especially those with whom you might have differences. As a university we will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of racism, hate crime, harassment, or discrimination here. This also extends into the digital world, including social media.
We recognise that members of our diverse community will hold different perspectives but as a university our responsibility is to ensure we maintain an environment where staff and students can feel safe and comfortable to express lawful opinions.”’
If you have been affected by any issues raised related to the ongoing conflict, please use Report and Support https://reportandsupport.uea.ac.uk, or contact the SU directly.
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