Austria: Student groups reject BDS movement targeting Israel

It is important that Austrian students publicly stated that there is a problem with the BDS movement and that it's a new form of antisemitism.  We will see if student groups in other European countries will do the same.

Via The Jerusalem Post (Benjamin Weinthal):

Student associations at the University of Vienna issued a statement on Wednesday, declaring their opposition to every form of anti-Semitism, including the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement targeting Israel. 

“As student representatives it is important for us to criticize the academic boycott against Israel, which entirely excludes Israeli academics,” the student council of the University of Vienna said. (...) 

Camila Garfias, a member of the association of socialist students (VSStÖ), said “Anti-Semitic violence is part of daily life in Europe.” The association of socialist students is affiliated with the Social Democratic Party in Austria. (SPÖ). Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann is from the SPÖ. 

The student group noted that Jews in France no longer feel safe and are immigrating to Israel. An anti-Semitic riot  took place against the Israeli soccer Maccabi Haifa in Salzburg; businesses in Paris were vandalized with anti-Semitic slogans, as well as Synagogues in Germany. The students said their examples of the manifestations of anti-Semitism are just a few and anti-Semitism remains part and parcel of everyday life in Europe. 

The Green Party students (GRAS), the Socialist students, and Communist students-Left List, which are part of the Austrian Students Union, blasted BDS in their joint statement.
The groups form the governing coalition in the Austrian student parliament at the University of Vienna. 

"As a student organization on the University of Vienna, we condemn every form of anti-Semitism, as well as from German nationalist fraternities, and anti-Semitism in the new form of BDS," Karin Stanger from the Green Party student group said. 

The Left List student Jana Reischl  slammed the extremist Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)  for spreading "anti-Semitic cartoons and minimizing the crimes of National Socialism.“

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