YUSU have rejected an appeal by the University of York’s Palestinian Solidarity Society against the decision not to grant them official ratification, amidst allegations of procedural malpractice.
The decision, announced on January 17th, has been labelled both “absurd” and “flawed”, with the society accusing the appeals process of being “a stitch-up” which “reeks of bias”.
The University of York’s Palestinian Solidarity Society had originally applied for official YUSU ratification at the end of last term.
However, YUSU Student Activities Officer Chris West told Vision the application had been rejected over doubts whether it “had a true need to be YUSU ratified” and whether the society “had the potential to develop its members”.
The organisation appealed the decision at the beginning of the new term, presenting a 12-page document which included dozens of signatures and statements from activists and academics nationally, including senior NUS officers.
However, whilst West acknowledged that the appeal document was “interesting” and “clearly displayed plenty of endeavor and organization”, the document testimonies were “predominantly from non-York students and did not directly address the concerns raised by the committee in its original decision.”
Serious objections have been raised to the nature of the appeals process, with members of the society asking how the membership of the original ratification committee was allowed to be identical to that of the appeals committee.
Palestinian Solidarity Committee Press Officer, Josiah Mortimer, has called for a “a root-and-branch reform of the appeals process,” telling Vision that “an appeals process should not simply mean the original committee re-stating their original position, but should like any other appeals system be undertaken by a higher body composed of other individuals”.
“We have already launched a petition and will be protesting until the decision is overturned and the appeals process changed,” he said.
The University of York Green Party, which helped organise the recent PSS have come out in support of the group telling Vision: “’It is an outrage that the Palestinian Solidarity Society’s ratification appeal has been rejected. PSS has generated massive student interest around the issue of Palestine already, with over 160 Facebook group members, an appeal supported by dozens of students on campus and dozens more nationally.”
“The Greens will put our full weight into helping the Palestinian Solidarity Society fight this decision and reform the farcical appeals process.”
Senior members of the university staff have also come out in support of the as yet un-ratified society, with the director of the university’s Medical Cryobiology Unit, David Pegg, suggesting that by blocking the formation of the society in the current circumstances, YUSU risks “damaging the reputation of the University”.
Pegg commented: “The decision not to allow the formation of a Palestine Solidarity Society deprives our students of the appropriate forum in which to exercise their freedom of expression on this matter. There have been such societies here in the past and they have made important contributions to this debate in the City of York. Similar societies exist in many other Universities. “
Absolutely extraordinary. YUSU should be ashamed. Great article that rightly raises awareness of this ridiculous move by YUSU
Might start an Israel Solidarity society.
Chris West is fairly right wing Conservative,,I suspect his political views have clouded his judgement
AD, and I suspect your political views have clouded YOUR judgement. We have views for a reason, idiot. Plus, not sure that’s true.
YES Chris.
One of my housemates suggested jokingly that someone should run for Student Activities Officer on a pro-Palestine platform. Wouldn’t that be an inversion, an attempt to expedite the perversion?
No?
Might at least get the guidelines published somewhere were the average student can view them, and at least find out what the criteria are for a society to ‘develop its members’ or have ‘need to be a ratified YUSU society’…
Zizek, your housemate is hilarious. Just hilarious.
@Oh Please
The use of ‘We’ in your statement suggests you had a role in this process, why don’t you remove your anonymity since your elected and give ‘idiot’ here an explanation rather than referring to your ‘reasons’. I mean rejecting it on the basis of whether it “had a true need to be YUSU ratified” IS suspicious, YUSU reputation (if that the idea behind this) is not exactly raised by fetsoc now isn’t it? Lastly, questioning whether it “had the potential to develop its members”, 176 people apparently clicked attending on the facebook event page for the join talk with the Green Party, this would mean P/X/001 was 1/2 to 2/3 full. How can you say my political views have clouded my judgement, and how dare you call me an idiot when the ‘reasons’ proffered are so spurious!
What a bitch, an elected officer (your use of we gives it away) making no effort to engage with critics other than to call them an ‘idiot’.
(@AD) Our launch event was in P/L/001, with ~150 person capacity. There were no seats free, and people were sitting on the stairs. It was possibly one of the best attended political events of the year. YUSU were no doubt aware of the expected attendance when they denied our ratifiaction appeal. So the decision, as you say, is deeply suspect and we we fight it strongly and persistently.
Shameful, YUSU
@ad “your use of we”. Good work, Sherlock, but no actually I don’t work for YUSU, you simpleton. By ‘we’ I mean ‘people’. People have political views, these views in turn shape, not cloud, our judgement. Do not need to read your entire comment, as you don’t need to convince me. In simple terms: a decision was made by Chris, get over it.
Don’t you think all 176 of you could be actually saving the people of Palestine right now instead of campaigning to be ratified as a society. No wait…of course you can’t. You are powerless and no yusu ratification is going to change that. Cry. Me. A. Fucking. River.
People don’t seem to understand that societies are only ratified by proving that they can help develop students. This Palestinian Society clearly failed to acknowledge that, instead trying to prove that non-York people supported the formation – a completely irrelevant point to make.
Furthermore, the idea that someone suggested that this ‘reeked of bias’ does nothing but highlight peoples’ ignorance of what is required to become a ratified YUSU Societies.
This issue would be solved if this Palestinian Society just argued what they could provide for York students. After all, that is what ratified societies are there for!
“Lastly, questioning whether it “had the potential to develop its members”, 176 people apparently clicked attending on the facebook event page for the join talk with the Green Party, this would mean P/X/001 was 1/2 to 2/3 full.”
Again, completely irrelevant. Popularity does not mean the same as providing some form of development to students.
This PalSoc needs to argue what they are providing for students, rather than banging on about how people are interested in coming to their events.
I suppose all 176 of us should just do nothing as that would suit you just fine because of course there is no occupation to ‘free’ palestine from now is there? Ordinary people can help to ‘save’ Palestine through BDS something that Israel really does care about which is evidenced by Israeli ministers speaking out when DEFRA recommended produce from Israeli settlements was labelled as such. Your name calling of others does not change this fact.
I am quite worried that we 176 terrorist sympathisers on campus! There is no ‘Palestine’ to speak of under international law!
I really think someone from YUSU needs explain what it means for a society to “develop its members”.
Surely if people want to go to PalSoc’s events, then it shows they are providing an opportunity for people with shared values and concerns to meet up, discuss things, and take action? Like every other society, basically.
Maybe PalSoc somehow didn’t make this rather obvious point in their application.
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Air doesn’t rise. Heat does.
@’Worried’
Palestine is only not a State under international law because of the situation imposed on it through historical events and political relationships. The fact that it is not considered s state now is not the be all and end all of its existence as a country and its right to statehood.
The Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (1933) sets forth what is generally accepted as the legal criteria for the establishment of a nation-state: (1) A permanent population, (2) a defined territory, (3) a government, and (4) the capacity to enter into relations with other states. `
Palestine had a permanent population for thousands of years until the 1900s when it fell under British Mandate. Even then its population remained permanent until the League of Nations decided to carve the area up into two States. Only one of these States materialised and it was on the day of the official creation of Israel that the British left Palestine leaving only one fully formed State behind. That is when the population of Palestine ceased to be permanent (1). This is also when they failed to have a defined territory (2) and a government (3). The reason that they cannot enter into relations with other states is because they are not recognised by many states. This hopefully will change with the UN recognition of Palestine as a State.
The fact that they are not a State currently, and that they are fighting to become one, does not make them all terrorists or revoke their right to Statehood entirely. Although there have been acts of terrorism on both sides, it is pointless to only focus on this because it makes a solution impossible.
YUSU is politically apathetic so this decision was expected.
@Worried
Jacob Campbell, we know it’s you.
And yes, you are still an idiot.
I think one day this situation will be perceived by the masses in the same way that South African apartheid is perceived now. I hope that everyone involved in this decision will be deeply ashamed of themselves when they realise the position they have taken in this battle.
It’s all very well to be anti-discrimination, anti-oppression when it comes to institutional prejudice that has been overthrown. Be against segregation in the Deep South, or in South Africa, now it’s over. Be against slavery, and empire when the system was dismantled so long ago. But when something is ongoing, it’s very easy for it to be “more complicated than all of that”. I have news: everything is complicated. Discrimination is complicated. Oppression, imperialism, apartheid – it’s all very complicated. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to look at it, and think about it, and try to come down on the side of the oppressed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKucPh9xHtM
Oh and anyone who believes YUSU’s response isn’t politically motivated is willfully naive to the point of stupidity.
Oh yeah coz david pegg has so much to do with this issue. tell him to stfu
My give-a-sod-ometer is stuck on zero.
Funny watching lefties rage and argue a left wing university is politically motivated to stop them, rather than they put a lame bid together.
For anyone angry at this decision, please sign and share this petition opposing YUSU’s action http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/support-for-the-uoy-palestinian-solidarity-society
@ Ned
The decision was taken by, and the complaints are directed at, YUSU; the university administration per se has nothing to do with the decisions.
Nor, on any reasonable interpretation, is the university of a left-wing bent; their decisions, like near any other similar institution today, is markedly profit-directed and without particular political or moral filter. e.g. they invest indiscrimminately (such as, for example, the investment of their pension scheme in the the arms manufacturer BAE Systems).
You are wrong on both accounts, the university is neither responsible for the decision being discussed here, nor left-wing.
Definition of a terrorist.In 1948 the United Nations envoy Volke Bernadotte arrived in Israel .He carried with him the UN plan to settle the dispute between Israel and Palestine.The Irgun group led by Menachin Begin murdered both Bernadotte and his attaché a French colonel whilst on their way from the airport.The same Bernadotte who whilst working in the Swedish embassy in Berlin obtained Swedish passports for some 1800 Jews thus saving them from the holocaust.Such was his reward at the hands of the terrorist Begin later to become Prime minister of Israel.The same gang who blew up the King David hotel killing 92 British servicemen and hotel staff.the same gang who when two of the terrorists were found guilty and sentenced to death.hanged two British army sergeants they had held captive and booby trapped the bodies.
This seems a somewhat bizarre decision by YUSU.
The whole ‘develop students’ reason is quite clearly rubbish.
With no offence to these societies if someone can tell me how: Anime & Manga Society, Dougsoc, Fetish Society (FetSoc), FragSoc, HP Muggle Soc, Knit Soc, Medieval Society, Quite Interesting Society, Real Ale Society or The Doctor Who Society (just a few of the many official societies) develop their members more than a politically based society I would love to hear it? If you’re part of any of these societies no offence I hope you have a great time doing your stuff.
Also how is this society different from say: University of York Conservative and Unionist, Labour Club, The University of York Liberal Democrats, UOY Student Socialist Society or University of York Green Party?
The issue of support is kind of irrelevant, the society don’t seem to be asking for funding so why does it matter if 176 or 17 people want to join?
The only possible reason I can see for YUSU refusing this application is either a political bias against the aims of the society or a perception that supporting such a society is in some way bad for YUSU’s reputation.
@AD, @Gooddecision et al
After a quick google about yusu societies, I found a whole host of references to a ‘societies committee’. Maybe people on here should stop attacking individuals and instead steer complaints towards this committee instead? I doubt its just a committee of Chris West.
Its probably true that PalSoc should be ratified, but there is not enough information in this article about how they can do this – maybe the ratification process should be questioned, rather than individuals who may or may not actually have the final say on ratification.
http://www.yusu.org/activities/societies/opportunities
I distinctly remember, earlier in the year, a new society being forced to jump through a number of nearly impossible hoops to put on a university event, unrelated to Palestine, featuring a speaker who once had made pro-Palestine statements. The event was almost canceled, and then when we wrote about the experience, we were told to omit any mention of the difficulties the university had placed in our path. I didn’t know that YUSU and the University publicity people sang from the same hymn sheet.
Who cares? Loads of societies dont get ratified. Just because this one is political doesnt mean its important. Maybe if they stopped complaining and playing the victim they might actually get some sympathy and more than 11 people would turn up for their protests
RATIFY THIS SOCIETY YUSU!
Seems this society is one of the more active and popular on campus, given the support it has attracted in York and elsewhere over the last few weeks. Its aims and purpose certainly fit the criterion of ‘developing students’ (though the term is so vague as to be nearly meaningless), but more importantly it serves as a forum for solidarity with one of the most oppressed minorities in modern society. Depriving York students of an opportunity to organise around and educate themselves on this issue is the opposite of what a university should foster.
There’s a line, and the Palestinian Society kind of crosses it. Next will there be a BNP/UKIP society? A Greek Nazi society?
Away with this Palestinian Society crap. York as a university is too apathetic to be worthy of such a society anyway.
Shameful that there is all this party political posturing going on here. Comments like ‘he’s a right wing conservative…that will have clouded his judgment’. What a pointlessly scornful and inaccurate statement. The issues surrounding the Israel-Palestine debate largely transcend the moderate wings of the political spectrum. Labour/ Conservative really is irrelevant, and anyone who thinks otherwise (or wants otherwise) is clearly overlooking the point here.
What’s going on in Palestine and the West Bank IS tragic. It is a humanitarian catastrophe of proportions that can’t possibly be understood from the comparative luxury of our safe, well-off lifestyles. Of course Israel is ‘in the wrong’ from every moral perspective to kill innocent people. But so too are those Palestinians who are using human shields and firing rockets at civilian targets across the border. It’s a bit rich to talk about the ‘terrorist’ activities of the Israelis when factions within the Palestinian community are responsible for similar atrocities.
The issue here is with regard to the legitimacy, or ‘ratification’ of the Palestinian Society. Let’s be perfectly clear – Palestinian societies up and down the country have been responsible for disorder in their protests. It undermines a peaceful solution to a problem and is also ironic given that they are ostensibly protesting against violence. I agree that a society which has been found guilty of similar acts of public disturbance should not be ratified by the University. This is not comparable, incidentally, to other societies who have caused trouble – sports societies, for instance, that become intoxicated beyond any reasonable standard and brawl and make noise and generally are a nuisance to other people. With those kinds of societies, the trouble that ensues is not political – it’s adolescent irresponsibility. Political unrest is infectious and hugely damaging to the integration of the university community.
I very much sympathise with the Palestinian society and their overall objectives but no society – whatever its beliefs – should be ratified if their behaviour undermines the community spirit of the university.
A few interesting points on this.
Firstly, PSS existed for several years and were until very recently a ratified society which got support from YUSU for its activities.
However, the points Chris raises are valid – the opinion of NUS officers is irrelevant to YUSU Societies and their formation, I think Mr Kiely and his band should lay off and stop interfering.
In the subject of interfering, David Pegg’s comments are a disgrace – it is NOT the place of University staff to comment on decisions of the Union, it sets a dangerous precedent.
I feel this society has merit (certainly as much as the other political societies, it offers development through campaigning, activism etc and does NOT contravene Union policy), however, it shouldn’t be for external figures to attempt to dictate what does and does not constitute a Students Union society.
Afternoon ya’ll.
I’m watching and waiting to see how this mother plays out. I am holding out on making any foreign policy decisions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian turf war beef just now, I need to know what happens in Yorkshire first. Get me on facebook and let me know when ya’ll reach some understanding – I think the ratification of this society can be the straw that finally breaks the (Israeli) Camel’s back.
Peace out A-Town.
Barack Hussein Obama (POTUS)
I’ve been following the PSS for a while, actually supporting their cause of raising awareness of the issues faced and providing a view point which frequently conflicts with the major media outlets I follow.
However, I do firmly believe that YUSU ratified societies should offer something unique to students, after all there’s only so much time/money etc in the pot. The talks that they host, the information they provide (call it propaganda if you wish, that’s not a debate I’m interested in, I’m just following the PC train) and the platform they present for students to voice their displeasure do not require a YUSU ratified society. The university is hardly in a position to influence national policy on this matter so I fail to see how this could reasonably be expected to reflect badly upon our (I say this as a proud student) institution. I cannot help but feel the time and effort the leaders of the PSS are spending fighting YUSU, would be better used if it were devoted to arranging either further talks raising awareness of the issues they feel most strongly about or working with other similar societies to do joint events, giving them a stronger platform on the national stage akin to the protests about university fees and other issues large numbers of students felt strongly about.
I will continue to follow the PSS, but do not believe that a broad attack against the entire YUSU entity is the best way to gain credibility or respect. As for the issues regarding comments from other universities or academic staff, I feel that simply reading the non-abbreviated form of YUSU proves the point on that.
In my opinion, PSS should not be resenting Mr.West or YUSU for failing to be ratified. Nor should they or anyone else be claiming any form of political bias toward Mr.West. Instead, they should be representing West as a very creative champion of the Palestinian cause.
Don’t get me wrong, West is no Edward Said or Norman Finkelstein- but if the question at hand here is about recognition, then the decision not to ratify the PSS bears an almost uncanny- if not intended- similarity to the plight of Palestinians in the region.
West cited his reasons behind rejecting the appeal on the grounds that the society didnt ‘require YUSU’ ratification, and that the ‘capacity in which the PSS could develop it’s members were questionable’.
Yet if you think about it, similar arguments have been stated by the advocates, representatives and supporters of the Israeli cause. When Mahmoud Abbas put forward an appeal for the acknowledgement of a Palestinian state in the United Nations, critics claimed that such acknowledgement was unnecessary for both the recognition of both Palestine and the Palestinian people. Even in this case, Palestine currently occupies only an ‘observer’ status, not within the centre fold of the UN- just as if we had, say, an operative student society that was allowed to participate, but not recognised as legitimate within the wider student body.
The second point of the appeals rejection relates to ‘member development’- essentially, that beyond a few left-wing, environmentally concious socialists, not enough of the middle class bourgeois of York University would be there to support the society. But this disregards the successful events held by the PSS, such as it’s lecture earlier this term- which clearly shows that support for the society’s ideals go far beyond the margins.
Such selectivity might not be too dissimilar from the repetitive assurances heard from ardent Israel supporters about a real lack of support for a Palestinian state- the usage of selective evidence that ignore polls such as this recent one, which show active support for a workable two-state solution.
Even if you’ve bought this analogy, you might be wondering why I’ve suggested Chris West should be treated as an advocate for the Palestinian cause. Perhaps, in a clever way, this exercise has shown the very real difficulties of recognition for Palestinians within the international community. That, in despite of all public support and acknowledgement for the cause, such attempts can easily be shut down through arbitrary justifications exuded from bureaucratic institutions .
More radical, perhaps, might be the idea that in keeping the PSS on the periphery allows the society to retain its identity as a radical mode of campaigns organisation, away from the exertions of authority and control ratified societies are subject to from YUSU. Maybe, in a rather peculiar way, Chris West saved allowed the PSS to retain it’s independence and integrity?
Even if all of this isnt true (it probably isn’t), the PSS could use this telling of the story to their advantage.
I just don’t care about ‘Palestine’. No one really does. Students just like to moan about something or another they can’t actually influence.
non sequitur quad est demonstratum
Societies are a leisure activity, and shouldn’t have to jump through the hoop of “developing students”.
Also, YUSU is there to serve students, not to place bureaucratic obstacles in their way.