Charity Commission investigates City, University of London’s Students’ Union’s attempts to abandon International Definition of Antisemitism under Shaima Dallali’s Presidency

The Charity Commission has opened an “ongoing case” into City, University of London’s Students’ Union regarding attempts to abandon the International Definition of Antisemitism during the tenure of the previous President, Shaima Dallali. Ms Dallali has recently been suspended from her current role as President of the National Union of Students (NUS).

It was reported that the Commission received a complaint after the Students’ Union’s Board of Trustees announced in March 2021 that they would hold a referendum about whether the University should refuse to continue to adopt the Definition. The Board of Trustees was, at the time, chaired by Ms Dallali.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission told Jewish News: “We are aware of these concerns and have an ongoing case into City, University of London Students’ Union. We are engaging with the trustees.”

Ms Dallali was suspended as NUS President at the start of September, apparently pursuant to an investigation of antisemitism allegations at NUS.

During her election campaign, Ms Dallali was forced to apologise for tweeting the words of an antisemitic chant. In 2012, during an escalation of tensions between Israel and the antisemitic genocidal terrorist group Hamas, Ms Dallali tweeted the words “Khaybar Khaybar, ya yahud, Jaish Muhammad, sa yahud.” Translated into English, this chant means “Jews, remember the battle of Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.” It is a classic Arabic battle cry referencing the massacre and expulsion of the Jews of the town of Khaybar in northwestern Arabia, now Saudi Arabia, in the year 628 CE. She also had a history of other inflammatory tweets and it also emerged that Ms Dallali had been in a group shouting aggressively at Jewish students attending an Israel Society event at King’s College London in 2018, at which it was reported that the “Khaybar” chant was heard.

It is said that this is the first time in the century-long history of the NUS that its President has faced suspension.

The announcement of Ms Dallali’s suspension came after Robert Halfon MP wrote together with Campaign Against Antisemitism to the Charity Commission calling for an investigation into the union’s charitable arm. The full dossier on NUS, produced by Campaign Against Antisemitism, can be read here. In addition, over twenty former NUS Presidents wrote a letter expressing their “serious concerns about antisemitism”, and another letter, organised by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and signed by over 1,000 Jewish students and allies, called for NUS to launch an independent investigation.

An NUS spokesperson said: “We cannot comment at this time as we are in the middle of an independent QC-led investigation into allegations of antisemitism. But as we have said before, we are prepared to take any and all actions recommended by Rebecca Tuck QC’s investigation.”

If any students are concerned about antisemitism on campus or need assistance, they can call us on 0330 822 0321, or e-mail [email protected].