Students 'appalled' by Oxford Brookes Israel scholarship

Students create a petition against the Universities planned scholarship.

Oxford Brookes University is Hosting the ‘Sam Zuckerberg Israel Scholarship,’ which Students and Teachers have been calling for the University to reconsider, considering the conflict between Israel, Palestine, and Lebanon.

The scholarship is hosted by Professor Daniel Chamovitz, President of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Isreal, who will host a lecture-discussion about “Inclusive Diversity Under Fire” which students of Brookes find “Ignorant” to the matter.

We asked two students who both take 2nd Year Politics about their opinions regarding the situation:

What are your thoughts about Oxford Brookes hosting this scholarship?

Annie: “I think they should be more sensitive to the fact the scholarship has a link to the military and last year they showed their solidarity to Palestinian Brookes students about the Gaza war so now doing this kind of display that they didn’t care because right now they aren’t being towards Palestinian students or teachers who don’t feel comfortable with the scholarship is representing”

Sophie: “I think it’s very ignorant especially it’s not hard to see why people would be against that.”

Do you think the petition will encourage Brookes to reconsider?

Annie: “100% yes because if they show a large number of people disagreeing with it it will show they have no choice but to cancel if they don’t listen to the petition then people can take action and the university can get into more trouble.”

Sophie: “I think it will encourage them to think about it, but I don’t think it will change anything they have because if they do change, it would be due to the backlash.”

Brookes state that the scholarship enables postgraduate students from Ben Gurion University to study on a one-year master's course in Brookes. The International Criminal Court has recently currently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which could have a potential effect on the scholarship.

Click here to view the petition.