University College London students chant “From the river to the sea” in protest of speaker

Students at the University College London have been recorded chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” in protest of activist Yoseph Haddad’s speech at the University. 

The chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.

Additionally, signs reading “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” were seen, while calls for an intifada were also heard.

An intifada is a rebellion or uprising, but the Palestinian intifadas were characterised by acts of terrorism targeting Jews. 

During an anti-Israel demonstration held last year, the UCL Students for Justice in Palestine Society, Saleem Nusseibeh, led the “from the river, to the sea” chant and warned the crowd of hundreds about “Zionist plotting”.

UCL adopted the Definition in 2019 but in 2021, its Academic Board passed an advisory resolution calling on the University to “retract and replace” the Definition. The Students’ Union also voted down a similar resolution. After the vote, one Jewish academic affiliated to the University resigned in disgust, calling UCL an “antisemitic cesspit”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism monitors the adoption of the Definition by universities.

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].