LONDON – August 7th, 2023
A report published by The Jewish Chronicle (UK) on August 3rd, 2023, identified that the Islamic Student Association of Britain (ISAB) hosted an online discussion featuring Saeed Ghasemi, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps member.
During the talk, which according to the report, was viewed over 25,000 times, Ghasemi denied the holocaust and claimed that Jews and “Zionists” were behind ISIS. Ghasemi also called for the return of Imam Madhi, a violent 9th-century figure to wage war against non-Muslims.
The Islamic Student Association of Britain also hosted Hossein Yekta, an IRGC official who urged UK students to “raise the flag of the Islamic revolution, Islam and martyrdom”. Yekta also claimed that the “era of the Jews will come to an end”.
CAMERA on Campus UK condemns the incidents where the Islamic Student Association of Britain platformed Ghasemi and Yekta, who chose to disseminate libellous and harmful tropes about the Jewish people to an audience of university students.
Also concerning was that both figures called for UK students to act upon such racist and bigoted characterisations of Jews.
The cooperation between the Islamic Student Association of Britain (ISAB) and the IRGC is evidence of an unmistakable link between the rhetoric of anti-Zionist, pro-BDS groups on campus and openly antisemitic and hostile terror groups.
We call upon the National Union of Students, administrators and government officials to thoroughly investigate these incidents and the organisations involved.
We also call on them to take appropriate action to curtail the pervasive spread of antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism on campuses across the UK.
Christina Jones
UK Communications Associate, CAMERA
About CAMERA on Campus UK
Increasingly, campuses are the scene of propagandistic assaults on Israel. Distorted literature, extreme speakers, and false, inflammatory images are all too common on campuses across the United Kingdom. This hostile environment can intimidate students seeking fair and objective information on Middle East issues.
CAMERA on Campus UK assists students through the CAMERA on Campus Coalition and CAMERA Fellowship programs. This includes guidance in finding and connecting with speakers or films, planning and creating events, funding for student groups, and addressing Middle East distortions in campus publications, fliers, rallies, and classroom teaching.
Students are supported for bravely and publicly defending Israel against hostility and distortions on campus.
Media Contact
Christina Jones
UK Communications Associate, CAMERA
christina@camera.org