Jewish student: “Incredibly uncomfortable”. University declines to comment

Palestine activists have declared parts of Lund University as a “liberated zone” in the past week. This is something that student Yair Elsner, who has a Jewish background, reacts to.
“I think it’s incredibly uncomfortable,” he tells Samnytt.

“Liberated zone study session”. It is during Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week that Lund students for Palestine invite to study together in the so-called Lux house at Lund University.

Next week is exam week, something that many students have dedicated this week to studying for, especially since some days have been lecture-free.

“Incredibly uncomfortable”

The Lux house houses the humanities and theology faculties. One of those studying there is Yair Elsner, who has a Jewish background.

“I study intellectual and cultural history,” he tells Samnytt.

Elsner reacts to the Palestine activism moving into the university’s premises in this way. He has asked the activists what they mean by “liberated zone,” without getting a clear answer.

“I think it’s incredibly uncomfortable and actually terrible. I think it’s terrible that this is happening on Swedish streets and squares, but that it’s happening inside an academic building, in a public zone meant for everyone. It’s particularly harsh,” he says.

“It’s on so many levels. Partly the overall message, but also the direct message of calling this a ‘liberated zone.’ Liberated from what? It’s hardly an inclusive message. What is it that shouldn’t happen there? What is happening there that isn’t happening elsewhere? It’s an exclusive message, and who are they excluding?”

“There is a great deal of violence capital”

Yair Elsner interprets the message “liberated zone” as being directed towards Jews, and compares it to the Nazi German term Judenrein.

“These are people who believe they are doing something noble. That they stand up for oppressed people, for peace and equality. But it’s the darkest and most murderous forces they serve. That’s what this is really about,” he says.

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And according to Elsner, he is not alone in finding the activists’ message distasteful. There are more with Jewish backgrounds at the university who feel uncomfortable.

“Even among people who don’t have a Jewish background. There is a great deal of violence capital from the Palestine supporters, so many are hesitant to confront them,” he points out.

“It’s very convenient to strike against Jewish students and Jews in general, because there are quite a few in Sweden. It’s a very small minority. Those who exist prefer to go with the flow, keep quiet, hide their symbols, not say anything, so I don’t think the university has received many complaints.”

University declines to comment

Samnytt has been in contact with Lund University via both phone and email regarding the Palestine activism in the Lux house.

“We know it happened in the LUX premises at the HT faculties but we don’t know who is behind this,” writes the university management’s staff in an unsigned email to Samnytt.

Eva Porenius, secretary to the university’s rector Erik Renström, writes in an email that the rector does not want to comment on the Palestine activism. Instead, questions are referred to dean Johannes Persson, who is the chairman of the humanities and theology faculties. However, he does not respond to either phone or email.

Samnytt has also contacted Lund students for Palestine, without receiving any response. Yair Elsner also hosts the podcast Judefrågan and is clearly pro-Israeli.

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