Ben Gurion University U-turn after Palestinian student faces terrorism accusations for quoting Mahmoud Darwish

An Israeli university this week indefinitely postponed the trial of a student who allegedly "supported terrorism" by quoting legendary Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. 

It followed a petition signed by 120 Ben-Gurion University of the Negev lecturers who called for a halt to the trial of Watan Madi, a student and left-wing activist affiliated with the Hadash Party, over a speech she gave at a Nakba Day rally last May. 

In the letter to the university administration, the lecturers called for the internal disciplinary trial against Madi to be quashed immediately. 

Controversy emerged over the final words of Madi's speech that concluded with a line from Mahmoud Darwish: "We will not forget the martyrs who fulfilled the unity of the country, the people, and history."

Im Tirtzu, a right-wing Israeli group, accused the student of "behavior that involves disobedience, or refusal to obey the instructions of the authorities".

The #Palestinian #student, Watan Madi, used the term 'martyrs' while quoting an article by #Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at a memorial event to mark #Nakba Day. She was later summoned by Ben-Gurion University for a disciplinary hearing.#Palestinehttps://t.co/G6Ect6ykRU

— The Palestine Project (@PalestineProjct) July 31, 2022

Im Tirtzu filed a complaint alleging the use of the term "martyrs" in her speech expressed "support for terrorism and incitement to violence". 

According to the appendix to the summons letter, it stated: "The use of the word martyrs while waving Palestinian flags during the vigil reinforces the claim that Madi expressed support for terrorism".

Madi rejected the claims and said she will continue her fight against racism and extremism.

"Simply, Im Tirtso is a fascist movement that pursues left-wing activists in various universities, and we in the student front are victims of these despicable persecutions," she said. 

"We will remain the dam in the face of the fascist right, and we will not deviate from the path of struggle, no matter how intensified their fragile policies of terror."