Joy and tears Schmuck
of the day Josh Glancy on the hostage reunions p19 Ignorance doesn’t help Palestinians Opinion, p22
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Home Office alarm over Hamas debate 6 March 2025
13 Adar 5785
Issue No.1408
@JewishNewsUK
LSE facing scrutiny after agreeing to host talk on free speech grounds by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk
Home Office officials will closely monitor every speaker at an “Understanding Hamas” event being held at the London School of Economics (LSE) next week for potential breaches of UK terrorism laws, Jewish News has learned. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is understood to be “concerned” about the potential impact of the event, being staged at the institution’s Middle East Centre on Monday, which is promoting a book called Understanding Hamas and Why That Matters. Counter-terrorism experts plan to take urgent action if there is evidence of speakers breaking the law and expressing
views supportive of the Islamist terror organisation and of its actions on 7 October 2023. Jewish News understands LSE chiefs have been given a firm warning about the consequence of speakers actively promoting the terror group at the 10 March talk. A Home Office source said: “We will be closely monitoring the statements made by speakers at this event at the LSE. People are concerned about it going ahead, but there is also respect for rigorous academic debate at the same time, so it needs to remain within the bounds of the law.” Promotional notes for the event on LSE’s website have been altered on three occasions, toning down original suggestion it would promote active engagement with Hamas.
Rami G Khouri and Helen Cobban will speak at the LSE event
But the website still claims the proscribed terror group has been transformed from “early anti-Jewish tendencies” and now “differentiates between Judaism and Zionism”. A description of the event states: “Across Western mainstream discourse, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has been subjected to intense vilification. Branding it as ‘terrorist’ or worse, this demonisation intensified after the events in southern Israel on 7 October 2023.” It claims: “This book does not advocate for or against Hamas. Rather, in a series of rich and probing conversations with leading experts, it aims to deepen understanding of a movement that is a key player in the current crisis.” An LSE spokesperson defended the event, saying: “Free speech and freedom of expression underpins everything we do at LSE. Students, staff and visitors are strongly encouraged to discuss and debate the most pressing issues around the world. We host an enormous number of events each year, covering a wide range of viewpoints and positions. “We have clear policies in place to ensure the facilitation of debates in these events and enable all members of our community to refute ideas lawfully and to protect individual’s Continued on page 2
SCARS OF STRENGTH British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, freed after 15 months in Hamas captivity, said her scars symbolise “freedom, hope and strength” as she underwent surgeries for her injuries. The 28-year-old said she had “fully embraced” the injuries because of what they symbolise. See page 8