Cambridge University students protest Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely visit

Cambridge University students protested against a visit by Israeli Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely 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 1948 Nakba - 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 The New Arab 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!

The incredible solidarity we have received from societies, staff and students from @Cambridge_Uni, organisations from across the UK, and beyond borders is heartwarming, but not at all surprising. pic.twitter.com/GJSAZetKdG

— Cambridge Palestine Solidarity Society (PalSoc) (@cupalsoc) February 9, 2022

"[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 garnered national media attention after protesting against Hotovely's visit to their campus last November.

Things we love to see! 😍@cupalsoc https://t.co/emf8KkGAzE

— LSE for Palestine (@LSEforPalestine) February 8, 2022

Government ministers criticised the LSE student action and linked it to anti-semitism.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel called for an investigation into the protest, 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" in a tweet.

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.