by Camilla Turner, Telegraph
Arwa Elrayess suggested to students in chat group it was ‘quite rich’ to ‘act shocked’ at terror group’s actions on October 7
The Oxford Union president said Hamas would be “lauded as heroes” and claimed that their actions were “proportional”.
Arwa Elrayess also suggested it was “quite rich” for people to “act shocked” by the October 7 atrocities, given the harsh treatment of Palestinians by Israel, according to leaked messages.
She made the remarks in a private WhatsApp group of around 100 students who were about to take up places at Oxford to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Ms Elrayess faced calls to resign as president of the prestigious debating society on Tuesday night, and Oxford University was urged to launch an investigation.
It is the latest scandal to engulf the union, coming just months after its previous president was ousted following comments he made that appeared to celebrate the shooting of Charlie Kirk, the Right-wing US influencer.
During a group conversation about the Israel-Gaza conflict last September, Ms Elrayess explained to incoming students why she thought the West had never recognised Hamas: