Cambridge University students protest Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely visit
students protested against a visit by Israeli Ambassador to the UK at a Cambridge Union event on Tuesday.
The demonstration began at 4:15pm outside the union - the largest student society in Cambridge, where Hotovely gave a speech - and was led by students from the Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Society (PalSoc).
Hotovely is known for her strong opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state and has dubbed the - which saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians expelled from their native land during the creation of Israel - an "Arab lie".
The Cambridge PalSoc said in a written statement to that the demonstration against the ambassador's visit was "a massive success".
"[We] are rightfully enraged... [and] affirm that a visit from Tzipi Hotovely will never go unopposed. It is our moral duty to protest the loathsome politics she represents," the group said.
1/2 Thanks everyone for your hard work, energy and power!
— Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Society (PalSoc) (@cupalsoc)
The incredible solidarity we have received from societies, staff and students from , organisations from across the UK, and beyond borders is heartwarming, but not at all surprising.
"[Her visit] amounts to... a normalisation of hatred and racism as well as a shameful disregard for the wellbeing of Palestinian students," the society added.
"[We] strong solidarity with Palestinians... whose history and very existence is repeatedly denied by Hotovely."
The protest was co-organised by a number of other student-led Palestinian societies, including London School of Economic's Palestinian society, who after protesting against Hotovely's visit to their campus last November.
Things we love to see! 😍
— LSE for Palestine (@LSEforPalestine)
Government ministers criticised the LSE student action and linked it to anti-semitism.
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel , saying "antisemitism has no place in our universities".
Prior to the protest in Cambridge on Tuesday, the PalSoc stated a "zero-tolerance policy for any form of racism, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or abuse" .
Cambridge University students have previously demonstrated against the presence of previous Israeli ambassadors at their events including Daniel Taub and Mark Regev in 2014 and 2016, respectively, according to PalSoc.