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| George Galloway refuses to debate with Israeli student at Oxford | George Galloway refuses to debate with Israeli student at Oxford |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| George Galloway has been accused of racism after walking out of a debate at Oxford University after discovering that his opponent was an Israeli citizen. | |
| The Respect party MP for Bradford West – a vocal critic of Israel and its treatment of Palestinian people – had been taking part in the debate at Christ Church college, speaking for the motion that "Israel should withdraw immediately from the West Bank", when he learned that Eylon Aslan-Levy, a student opposing it, was Israeli. | The Respect party MP for Bradford West – a vocal critic of Israel and its treatment of Palestinian people – had been taking part in the debate at Christ Church college, speaking for the motion that "Israel should withdraw immediately from the West Bank", when he learned that Eylon Aslan-Levy, a student opposing it, was Israeli. |
| Galloway interrupted the third-year philosophy, politics and economics student at Brasenose college when Aslan-Levy used the word "we" in reference to Israel. | |
| "You said 'we'," said Galloway. "Are you an Israeli?" | "You said 'we'," said Galloway. "Are you an Israeli?" |
| "I am, yes," Aslan-Levy replied. | "I am, yes," Aslan-Levy replied. |
| "I don't debate with Israelis. I have been misled, sorry," Galloway said, standing and putting on his coat, then reiterating as he walked out: "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis." | "I don't debate with Israelis. I have been misled, sorry," Galloway said, standing and putting on his coat, then reiterating as he walked out: "I don't recognise Israel and I don't debate with Israelis." |
| The Oxford student newspaper Cherwell – which has video footage of Galloway's exit – quoted Aslan-Levy as saying afterwards: "I am appalled that an MP would storm out of a debate with me for no reason other than my heritage. To refuse to talk to someone just because of their nationality is pure racism, and totally unacceptable for a member of parliament." | |
| The debate organiser, Mahmood Naji, told Cherwell.org: "At no point during my email exchange with Mr Galloway's secretary was Eylon's nationality ever brought up or mentioned." He added: "Nor do I expect to have to tell the speaker what his opponent's nationality is." | The debate organiser, Mahmood Naji, told Cherwell.org: "At no point during my email exchange with Mr Galloway's secretary was Eylon's nationality ever brought up or mentioned." He added: "Nor do I expect to have to tell the speaker what his opponent's nationality is." |
| Galloway said on his Facebook page: "I refused this evening at Oxford University to debate with an Israeli, a supporter of the apartheid state of Israel. The reason is simple: no recognition, no normalisation. Just boycott, divestment and sanctions, until the apartheid state is defeated. I never debate with Israelis nor speak to their media. If they want to speak about Palestine – the address is the PLO." | Galloway said on his Facebook page: "I refused this evening at Oxford University to debate with an Israeli, a supporter of the apartheid state of Israel. The reason is simple: no recognition, no normalisation. Just boycott, divestment and sanctions, until the apartheid state is defeated. I never debate with Israelis nor speak to their media. If they want to speak about Palestine – the address is the PLO." |
| The incident prompted a flurry of Twitter exchanges, with many people expressing surprise and anger at Galloway's behaviour. | The incident prompted a flurry of Twitter exchanges, with many people expressing surprise and anger at Galloway's behaviour. |
| "George, refusing to debate someone because he's Israeli is absurd," wrote Christine Quigley, a former Labour London assembly candidate. "Would you condone if any other nationality?" | "George, refusing to debate someone because he's Israeli is absurd," wrote Christine Quigley, a former Labour London assembly candidate. "Would you condone if any other nationality?" |
| She added: "As a former constituent of @georgegalloway and pro-Palestinian, I'm deeply unimpressed he refused to debate someone because he was Israeli." | She added: "As a former constituent of @georgegalloway and pro-Palestinian, I'm deeply unimpressed he refused to debate someone because he was Israeli." |
| Another Twitter user, who describes herself as a "proud mum" and "progressive Jew", asked Galloway: "Out of interest would you refuse to meet with a constituent if they had Israeli citizenship?" | Another Twitter user, who describes herself as a "proud mum" and "progressive Jew", asked Galloway: "Out of interest would you refuse to meet with a constituent if they had Israeli citizenship?" |
| Galloway reiterated his earlier points in his replies to his questioners, tweeting: "No recognition of Israel. No normalisation. Christ Church never informed us the debate would be with an Israeli. Simple." | Galloway reiterated his earlier points in his replies to his questioners, tweeting: "No recognition of Israel. No normalisation. Christ Church never informed us the debate would be with an Israeli. Simple." |
| The MP has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinians and trenchant critic of Israel, speaking of his hatred for the "Zionist state" and calling for its dismantling. | The MP has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinians and trenchant critic of Israel, speaking of his hatred for the "Zionist state" and calling for its dismantling. |