Wiesenthal Center to London School of Economics: Void Student Union Twinning With Gaza's Terror 'University'

January 15, 2010

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE - EUROPE
Tel. +33-147237637 - Fax: +33-147208401

e-mail: csweurope@gmail.com

Wiesenthal Center to London School of Economics: Void Student Union Twinning With Gaza's Terror 'University'

In a letter to the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) Director, Howard Davies, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, lamented, "As a postgraduate alumnus of LSE, I am saddened to learn that the LSE Students Union has passed a motion to twin with the Islamic University of Gaza, a Hamas political and military - terrorist stronghold."

http://www.terrorisminfo.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e093.htm

The letter emphasized, "The Islamic University of Gaza - in its oppression of women's rights, homophobia, incitement to hatred of Christians and other non-Muslims, its anti-Semitism - hardly reflects the values of the LSE's Fabian founders."

Samuels added the abominable features of such an affiliation:

"-The 'university's' outrageously western-funded laboratories have produced Katyusha rockets launched on Israeli civilian centres; it is a recruitment centre for student candidates for Jihadi suicide bombing missions, and, as such, is complicit in crimes against humanity. 

- In the 2007 conflict between Hamas and Fatah, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's spokesman called the Islamic University "an armed camp" - (Dunia al-Watan website, 16 May 2007).from which "Hamas gunman took positions on the roofs to fire at (Fatah) demonstrators", thus identifying LSE's new partner as an active arm in sabotaging the peace process. 

- LSE's new colleagues at the Islamic University, from administration and lecturers to cleaning staff are, by fiat, affiliated to Hamas - defined as a terrorist organization by the European Union. Should any be invited to visit LSE, you may well find yourself hosting named individuals on the EU's terror-list."

Samuels recalled, with irony, "Five years ago, the LSE Student Union elected the late Simon Wiesenthal as its Honorary President. Mr. Wiesenthal's grandson and I were proud to attend the ceremony. Since then, there has clearly been a takeover of the Union by elements hostile to liberal democracy, human rights and the very image of LSE itself." 

Samuels pointed out, "Many of our members are LSE graduates and supporters. As long as LSE allows itself to be manipulated by acolytes of terrorism, I, for one, hereby divest from my financial contribution through the French LSE Graduates association, and sincerely hope that others, around the world will do the same."

Samuels additionally noted, "This motion is reportedly the consequence of a campus campaign by the Palestinian Society that culminated in a ten-day occupation of the Old Theater, apparently endorsed by the non-intervention of the University administration."

The Centre urged the Director, "…to publicly condemn the LSE Students Union motion and to take measures for its intent to be null and void."

"The consequences of any partnership - direct or indirect - with the Islamic University of Gaza, would, arguably, make the London School of Economics co-responsible for any possible legal, political or financial damages incurred by potential victims of that 'university's' structure of terror and hate," Samuels concluded. 

For further information contact Shimon Samuels at 00 33 6 09 77 01 58