German university students condemn BDS movement

BERLIN (JTA) — Students at Leipzig University have passed a resolution condemning the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel as anti-Semitic.

Passed earlier this month, the groundbreaking student council resolution, first reported in The Jerusalem Post, was a response to efforts by University of London anthropology professor Lori Allen, an anti-Israel activist, to foment support for BDS during a visit to the Leipzig University in June.

In its statement, translated on the Legal Insurrection blog, the student council condemned such “anti-Semitic boycott campaigns” and said it would stand up “against the execution, participation in, and promotion of such campaigns and events at the University of Leipzig.” This includes a rejection of BDS-related “events, exhibitions, demonstrations, etc.”

The resolution also called the BDS campaign “an existential threat to the Jews,” given the openly stated threats by Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime against Israel and Jews worldwide.