Pro-Israel speaker blasts ‘deeply shocking’ scenes at Oxford Union after debate descends into chaos

A barrister has condemned the “deeply shocking” scenes at an Oxford Union debate on Israel, lamenting how far the prestigious institution has fallen.

Speaking on GB News, Natasha Hausdorff described an “atmosphere of intimidation” that was “palpable before the event”.

“In the context of the additional event we sought to organise and the course of the debate itself, it is deeply shocking how far the Oxford Union has fallen,” she said.

Hausdorff revealed that Jonathan Sacerdoti, son of a Holocaust survivor, faced personal abuse during the debate.

She detailed how Arab speakers on her team were subjected to abuse in Arabic, which she only learned about after the event.

“They were called ‘traitors’ and ‘collaborators’,” she said. “One of the speakers confided in me that the nature of that abuse and the threats have him flashbacks to a time he was targeted for being a collaborator in the West Bank.”

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The debate centred on the motion “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide”, which was ultimately carried with 278 votes in favour and 59 against.

During the debate, pro-Palestinian activist Miko Peled described the October 7 attacks as “acts of heroism”.

The event was marked by frequent interruptions, with one female student being removed for “screaming obscenities”.

When one of the speakers for the motion withdrew, Union president Ebrahim Osman Mowafy abandoned his impartial role as chair to speak in favour of the motion.

Counter-terrorism police have launched an investigation into reports that a speaker expressed support for Hamas during the debate.

A group of 300 academics, including Baroness Deech and Professor Sir Vernon Bogdanor, wrote to newly-elected chancellor Lord Hague condemning the “inflammatory rhetoric, aggressive behaviour and intimidation”.

The signatories said: “We unequivocally condemn the incendiary remarks made by some speakers in support of Hamas and terrorist violence. Such statements are not only morally reprehensible but also in clear violation of the law.”

The Oxford Israel Society described the atmosphere as “pure unfiltered hatred”, saying members left the debate “feeling physically ill and unsafe, ultimately deciding to leave together rather than alone”.

Ben Freeman of the Pinsker Centre, a charity advocating for respectful debates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, called the event “a debacle”.

“This event was showing the chaos that ensues when divisive extremists hijack crucial debates in tense campus environments,” he said.

“Oxford must step back, reflect, and ensure that future discussions uphold the standards of respect and reasoned debate that this university should represent.”