Hebrew U Student Day to be held as planned on Jerusalem Day despite Arab student objections

The Student Union at the Hebrew University met on Wednesday and by a large majority voted not to postpone Student Day.

By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZI
Jerusalem Day celebrations (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Jerusalem Day celebrations
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
This year’s Student Day at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will be held as planned on Jerusalem Day, it was announced on Thursday.
Meeting on Wednesday, the HU Student Union voted by a large majority not to postpone the traditional Student Day, which for years has been scheduled to coincide with Jerusalem Day. The vote to postpone Student Day this year took place following the request by Arab students not to hold the event on Jerusalem Day due to the sensitivity of this holiday for some Arab students.
Deputy Jerusalem Mayor Dov Kalmanovitz responded to the vote, saying, “To my happiness, public pressure worked. I call on the Student Union next time to reject proposals such as this outright that try to raise doubts about our sovereignty over a united Jerusalem.
“I congratulate the Israeli student group at the Hebrew University on their success in their – our – struggle. Having Student Day on Jerusalem Day makes a clear-cut declaration: Jerusalem is ours; we are here to stay.”
Kalmanovitz vehemently opposed postponing the event. In a letter penned to the university’s student council ahead of the vote, Kalmanovitz wrote, “It is inconceivable that this issue is even being brought up in the student union. Raising the issue seriously undermines the legitimacy of a united Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Municipality struggles to bring students to the city. For the development of services for the welfare of students, among other things, we fund Student Day events with hundreds of thousands of shekels.
“If the Student Union does decide to move Student Day from Jerusalem Day, I inform you that I will not lend my hand to this, and will work with all my strength to remove the municipality’s financial support from Student Day events at the Hebrew University.”