1996-1997 Rothberg Yearbook

POLITICS IN GOLDSMITH 1996-1997
As one would expect, both the affairs of the student union and political life in general at the
Hebrew University are colorful. Three student parties are in permanent competition for
control of the Student Union. Meretz, with ties to the eponymous political party, is interested
in the main in political and social issues in general, and only to a lesser extent in concerns
specific to students. On the other hand, Ofek (Avoda) and Gilad Aviv (Likud) state that they
are concerned first and foremost with the management of the Student Union.
Paradoxically, at least upon first inspection, Gilad Aviv has held power at the university for
five years, from 1991-1996, even though two thirds of the students are more or less left-wing.
To tell the truth, the Union, during this period, has worked better than ever before,
diversifying and expanding the range of services it offers. Ofek and Meretz seek in general to
politicize debate, aware o f the advantage that they hold on this terrain. Indeed in 1996, a year
of elections, they succeeded in this strategy, particularly since the university elections took
place five days after those for the Knesset.
The Goldsmith building is generally ignored by all this activity on the part of representatives
of the Student Union. This has been especially true this year, leading to low uptake of
membership in the Student Union by foreign students. Only the representatives of Gilad Aviv
have put in time there, organizing inter alia a trip to Hebron, and, above all, collecting
signatures for a petition which has led to the opening of a new computer room for email. The
overseas students, however, many of whom are in Israel only for a year, are not of necessity
particularly interested in the affairs of the Student Union.
Nonetheless the business of “Barry Chamesh” aroused the consternation of many students
concerned with freedom of expression and scandalized by unwarranted violence. So as to
impede the Canadian journalist from airing his theory, according to which the Israeli secret
services murdered Yitzhak Rabm, the militant activists of Meretz and Ofek organized a
particularly violent demonstration which resulted in two members of university security being
sent to hospital.
Hopefully this event, which has placed Goldsmith in the media spotlight, will remain an
unfortunate anomaly. Student life in Israel is given to polemic, but, most of the time, this does
not spill over into violence. _ . T , ,
Benjamin Lachkar
Political activity in Goldsmith this year has been remarkable, mainly for its paucity or
rather, by the minimal importance given to Goldsmith by the official Student Union. This
Student Union, under the control of Ofek-Meretz, has done surprisingly little to improve
the life of students on campus. In Goldsmith, this was reflected by absolutely no specific
activities being organized for overseas students , and by the organization of one activity
which revealed the chaotic nature of the Union. A supposedly peaceful demonstration
against a journalist speaking about the Rabin assassination was turned into a violent
protest in which two security guards were sent to hospital and university property
seriously damaged. Acting as the political opposition to the Ofek-Meretz alignment,
Gilad-Aviv has proved on numerous occasions that it is a truly organized and efficient
student interest group. Throughout the year they have organized various trips (Hebron,
Knesset), lectures (Ehud Olmert), and services (bus timetables, opening of a computer
room in association with BUDS). All this was done whilst Gilad-Aviv were in
opposition, without access to the student Unions budget.
This year of Ofek-Meretz power has therefore made clear to everyone their inefficiency.
Hopefully next year the political situation will be reversed, and overseas students will be
able to benefit from the Student Union.
Michael Ottolenghi