Calls for extra marks for Oxford's Jewish, Israeli students

In an article published on the group's website, UKLFI has said: "Jewish, Israeli and Zionist students are likely to suffer particular detriment where exams are disrupted by anti-Israel protestors, so should be allowed more generous marking."

UKLFI said it has written to Professor Irene Tracey, University of Oxford vice chancellor, regarding the disruption and cancellation of some exams.

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The University of Oxford would not comment on private correspondence though it issued a statement on the exam disruption, but the UKLFI spokesperson claimed they had not received a response at the time of writing. 

Around seven autonomous pro-Palestine protesters entered an examination around 9.15am on June 13, in the East Writing School building of Exam Schools off the High Street in Oxford. 

A person on site, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Oxford Mail the protesters "hung the flag and chanted out the window", but were then brought "under control". 

Professor Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of Oxford University (Image: Other.) UKLFI claimed some of the exams went ahead "despite very audible noise from anti-Israel demonstrators" and said that "Israeli, Jewish and Zionist students are liable to suffer detriment by comparison with other students unless appropriate adjustments are made".

The article said: "While extraneous noise can be a distraction to those sitting examinations generally, it is bound to be much more worrying for those who are themselves, or whose family, people, co-religionists and/or beliefs are the targets of such venomous hostility and threatening behaviour."

UKLFI has also urged the university to act against the encampments and "to take much more robust action to penalise and deter students" involved.  

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Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI, wrote: “The University’s permissive attitude to date has encouraged increasing disruption."

The letter suggested that, even if students or others are permitted to use land for normal purposes, they are "trespassers if they use it for other purposes such as encampments". 

Responding to comments made by Oxford Action for Palestine that Israel's actions represent a "genocide", UKLFI claimed this was false pointing to a detailed article outlining their own views about the International Court of Justice. 

Oxford Action for Palestine has been involved in many protest stunts in the city (Image: Oxford Action for Palestine) The OA4P group has said it was not aligned  with the protests which disrupted the exams, which the university also acknowledged. 

OA4P has been involved in the encampments since May 6. 

The group, whose membership includes several Jewish students, had called for the university to divest from and boycott "Israel's criminal regime" and "end its complicity in scholasticide". 

UKLFI claimed, in response, that divestment and boycotts targeting Israel were "racist and mostly illegal", said Israel did not have a criminal regime and claimed that other states were not criticised at all or as readily as the state of Israel. 

The group did say it would welcome the rebuilding of the Gaza education system "once Hamas is destroyed as a military and governing organisation".

Oxford Action for Palestine was contacted for further comment.