Alwaght- Israeli embassy officials plotted the ousting of the president of UK National Union of Students (NUS) for his pro-Palestinian stances, al-Jazeera channel reported.
A reporter for the channel posed as a political activist only identified as Robin, is introduced to the NUS vice president, Richard Brooks by the Israeli diplomat, Shai Masot.
They discuss the plan to remove Malia Bouattia, the first Muslim woman of color to preside the NUS. She is known for her anti-Israeli positions that Tel Aviv tries to portrait as anti-Semitism.
In the secret recording, Brooks is filmed telling Robin that he accepted a trip to Israel funded by the Union of Jewish Students. He is also heard to say that he was a key figure involved in attempts to remove Bouattia.
He admits planning and organizing the fraction against Bouattia telling Robin, “drop me a line whenever you want to have a conversation” with any figure opposed to Bouattia.
Bouattia, is known for her years of pro-Palestine activism on campuses across the UK, Bouattia says she considers herself an opponent of "Zionist politics".
The revelation comes days after British MPs called for Israeli diplomats implicated in the scandal to be expelled after the Israeli embassy official was filmed saying he would “take down” British MPs who expressed pro-Palestinian opinions.
The Israeli embassy’s senior political officer, Shai Masot, was filmed by Al-Jazeera admitting to helping set up political groups across the UK like the Young Conservative Friends of Israel and various other organizations.
The NUS, which represents over four million students, has been known to be a training ground for future Labor party politicians.
Notable politicians who have previously served as NUS leader include former foreign secretary Jack Straw and Wes Streeting, now a young Labor MP.
