NUS president Shaima Dallali learns she's been sacked 'on Twitter' after anti-Semitism investigation

1 November 2022, 17:45 | Updated: 1 November 2022, 18:25

The National Union of Students has sacked its president, Shaima Dallali, following an investigation into claims of anti-Semitism.

An independent code-of-conduct investigation was launched after claims of anti-Semitism were made against her.

She posted on Twitter this afternoon: "On the first day of Islamophobia Awareness Month, I find out I have been dismissed through Twitter. That is unacceptable."

In 2012, Ms Dallali posted a tweet that included an Arabic chant that referenced a massacre of Jews in the year AD 628.

She has apologised for the tweet saying she is now a ‘different person.’

She posted: ““Khaybar Khaybar O Jews… Muhammad’s army will return Gaza”

Ms Dallali has also used Twitter posts to label Jordanian preacher Dr Waseem Yousef a “dirty Zionist” after he wrote that Hamas was launching rockets from between residents’ homes and was making “a graveyard” for children in Gaza. 

In a 2018 article she praised Muslim Brotherhood cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi - who was expelled from Britain, the US, France and Germany. In 2009, Qaradawi made inflammatory comments about Jews, including calling on God to "kill them, down to the very last one."

She had been suspended from her role at the end of August but has now been dismissed, the NUS confirmed.

In a statement, the student organisation said: "Following the independent KC-led investigation into allegations of antisemitism, specifically into the then-President Elect under the NUS Code of Conduct, an independent panel has found that significant breaches of NUS’ policies have taken place. As per this finding, we have terminated the President’s contract."

The NUS added: "We are sorry for the harm that has been caused and we hope to rebuild the NUS in an inclusive way – fighting for all students as we have done for the past 100 years."

The Union of Jewish Students said: "UJS respects the decision of the National Union of Students to dismiss their President. Antisemitism in the student movement goes beyond the actions of any one individual and this case is a symptom of a wider problem.

"Jewish students across the country will be asking how an individual deemed unfit for office by NUS was elected in the first place. We await the findings of the substantive inquiry into NUS’ treatment of Jewish students."