The World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) unequivocally condemns the reprehensible conduct witnessed during the closing plenary of the Level Up! event, hosted by the European Youth Forum in the hemicycle of the European Parliament.
What transpired fundamentally affected the safety of the members of our affiliate union, the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), but echoes how Jewish students have been feeling around Europe and the rest of the world.
During the closing plenary, an attendee disrupted the proceedings with loud chants of “Free Palestine”, “Ceasefire now” and accusing Israel of genocide. The president of EUJS, Emma Hallali, replied by reminding the room to stay on the topic of the European elections to which she was met with verbal harassment by being called a “fascist Zionist”.
It is particularly alarming that such disruption was widely supported in the form of applause from some moderators and board members from the European Youth Forum (YFJ).
It is distressing that the European Parliament, a symbol of European unity and democracy, became the stage for an event that left Jewish students feeling unsafe, threatened, and excluded.
This is not a matter of diplomatic disagreement but a clear and violent breach of the principles of respect and dialogue that the European Union claims to uphold - Jewish students in Europe deserve better.
The WUJS Team.