Shaima Dallali, the President of the National Union of Students (NUS), has been dismissed over allegations of antisemitism.
The dismissal comes after a months-long independent code-of-conduct investigation after allegations were made against her. The findings of this enquiry are yet to be made public.
After being suspended from her role at the end of August, it is believed that the organisation has decided to dismiss her on the grounds of gross misconduct.
Ms Dallali was elected as NUS President during the Society’s annual National Conference in March, and concerns were raised soon after by Jewish students regarding her views. In 2012, Ms Dallali posted a tweet that included reference to an Arabic chant referencing a massacre of Jews in AD 628, which she has since made an apology for.
In a statement reported by the Jewish Chronicle, the student organisation said: “Following the independent KC-led investigation into allegations of antisemitism, specifically into the then-President Elect under the NUS Code of Conduct, an independent panel has found that significant breaches of NUS’ policies have taken place. As per this finding, we have terminated the President’s contract.” Additionally, the NUS apologised for the “harm that has been caused,” hoping that the Union could “rebuild the NUS in an inclusive way.”
Chloe Field, the acting chair of the NUS UK Board, said she was “proud to fight on behalf on all students.” Continuing, she said, “I am determined to work together with the Union of Jewish Students to re-establish trust in our organisation and tackle some of the biggest issues facing students right now.”
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) said Ms Dallali’s election was “a symptom of a wider problem” in the NUS, but that it “respects” the decision. The organisation went on to add: “Anti-Semitism in the student movement goes beyond the actions of any one individual and this case is a symptom of a wider problem. Jewish students across the country will be asking how an individual deemed unfit for office by NUS was elected in the first place.”
This is not the first time this year that issues surrounding antisemitism have been raised surrounding the NUS. In May 2022, the British government cut ties with the NUS surrounding concerns about antisemitism within the organisation.
Michelle Donelan, then-Universities Minister at the time, said that she was horrified that some Jewish students may feel ostracised by a group that should act as a voice for all.
Current Education Minister Robert Halfon, responding to today’s news, said that the Department for Education welcomed the verdict and looked “forward to seeing the outcome of the next stage.”
Halfon welcomed the verdict and looked “forward to seeing the outcome of the next stage.” He added that the wider report, which was originally due out at the end of last month, would “provide more detail on National Union of Students’ plans to address anti-Semitism within the organisation”.