The former head of the British students' union filed a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal

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The former head of the UK's largest student union announced on Friday that she is suing the union, alleging that her dismissal after a months-long investigation into allegations of anti-Semitism against her was discriminatory.
< br /> Lawyers for Shaima Dallali said that the dismissal of the president of the National Union of Students was caused by “antipathy” her pro-Palestinian views and Islamic faith, protected by the UK Equality Act, and that the disciplinary process against her was unfair.

The statement said that Dallali “has been the subject of numerous complaints, as well as personal insults and threats, because her expression of her anti-Zionist beliefs amounted to anti-Semitism.”

Dallali is seeking damages in connection with her dismissal, and filed an appeal against her dismissal through NUS's internal appeals process.

Following Dallali's election in March 2020, the Jewish Students' Union drew attention to various anti-Israeli and supposedly anti-Semitic comments she allegedly made, including a 10-year-old post that read: “Khaybar Khaybar, O Jews… Mohammed's army will return to Gaza.” referring to the Battle of Khaybar in 628 CE, during which Muslim troops reportedly attacked local Jews in the city of Khaybar. Dallali has since apologized for the social media post.

Subsequently, last year Queen's Counsel Rebecca Tuck launched an investigation into the claims. comments and “significant violations” union politics, NUS reported.

Dallali's lawyers said she was fired despite an investigation showing her three posts were simply “impolite”, adding that she didn't consider her tweet "Khaybar Khaybar" antisemitic when I wrote it.

Lawyers argued that the process was unfair on several grounds, arguing that Dallali was denied legal representation during the proceedings, NUS refused to read her written submissions, and did not facilitate the call of witnesses to support her defence.

The lawyers emphasized that the ousted head of the student union “has made a full and repeated apology, both before and during her tenure as NUS President, she has repeatedly made clear her opposition to all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism.”

On Friday, a spokesman for NUS told the Jewish Chronicle that the group considered the investigation “thorough and fair.”

“Our goal is to represent all students and reshape NUS to be inclusive.” and progressive force for good. We are taking steps to put in place our action plan against anti-Semitism and mobilize students to campaign for a better future", — added to NUS.

NUS is a confederate association of about 600 student unions representing over seven million students.

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