While the movers of the motions expected hostile criticism from supporters
of Israel they did not anticipate the firestorm of abuse levelled at
them and thier union for their attitude to the EUMC definition. There
was a concerted campagn to denounce UCU as anti-semitic because of their
refusal to apply a definition that mad emakes attitudes to Israel a
central defining trope of anti-Semitism rather than attitudes to Jews,
The Board of Deputies even sent a letter
to the heads of all Universities which contained serious distortions
of events in the union over 4 years and asking Universities to derecognise
UCU. Richard
Kuper and Tony
Lerman posted thoughtful analyses of the EUMC definition and why
the official Jewish leadership were seriously in error. Both postings
attracted vituperative personal attacks in response.