From Al Jazeera:
A British university has drawn criticism for its decision to allow a Balfour Declaration “celebration” organised by a pro-Israel group.
The Manchester Balfour 100 event will be held at the University of Manchester’s main campus later in October and is part of a broader series of events to mark the anniversary of the declaration made by then British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour on November 2, 1917.
The university’s decision has been slammed by both academics and students.
“Having the celebration of the Balfour declaration on campus is totally disrespectful to students of Palestinian origin,” said Ayham Madi, a Palestinian studying at the university, adding: “Many people lost their homes, land and their lives.”
The cybersecurity student said a hundred years later, Palestinians continued to feel the impact of the declaration and that he felt “great pain” that the university has allowed the event to take place.
The National (UAE) adds:
BDS campaigner Huda Ammori, 23, told The National that the university’s decision to allow the event to take place on its premises had upset many Palestinian students.“The Balfour Declaration is seen by many Palestinian students as the invitation of the ethnic cleansing, which took place in 1948,” she explained.
Ms Ammori, who is in the third year of an international business, finance and economics degree at Manchester, described how some of the students on campus felt when they discovered the celebration was taking place.
“It was quite an emotional step back for some of the Palestinian students because it’s a mockery, especially when they are painting it as a celebration. Not an educational talk – a celebration,” she said.
“They (the university) are making a clear statement by holding it on the campus. They are completely disregarding Palestinian students.”
The BDS campaign at the university has joined other student societies in writing a letter to president and vice chancellor, Nancy Rothwell, demanding the event be cancelled. If it is not, Ms Ammori said a protest will take place outside the venue where the celebration is held.
Poor snowflakes.
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