{"id":172796,"date":"2024-10-28T15:08:27","date_gmt":"2024-10-28T14:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=172796"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:32","slug":"entry-ban-for-controversial-speaker-at-palestine-event-at-radboud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/10\/28\/entry-ban-for-controversial-speaker-at-palestine-event-at-radboud\/","title":{"rendered":"Entry ban for controversial speaker at Palestine event at Radboud"},"content":{"rendered":"

The controversial speaker Mohammed Khatib will not attend a meeting on Palestine at Radboud University Nijmegen. The government has ruled he may not enter the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohannes Fiebig<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

To some, he is a hate preacher inciting violence; others view him as a freedom fighter who \u2018isn\u2019t afraid to say things that may be provocative\u2019. Khatib had been invited to speak at Radboud University on Monday by university staff.<\/p>\n

Samidoun<\/h2>

Khatib lives in Belgium and is the European leader of Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian organisation banned in some Western countries (but not in the Netherlands). He described Hamas\u2019s 7 October attack as a natural response from an oppressed people and claims the state of Israel has no right to exist.<\/p>\n

The Nijmegen university community was sharply divided<\/a> over the announcement of the lecture, sparking controversy beyond campus as well. Newspaper De Telegraaf called the event \u2018a low point for antisemitism\u2019. One organiser told<\/a> the independent Radboud magazine VOX, \u201cI\u2019m an expert on European forms of racism and Jewish myself, and I can say he is not an antisemite\u201d.<\/p>\n

Samidoun<\/h2>

The university\u2019s board was troubled by the situation. The reactions to Khatib\u2019s visit were \u2018at times very intense\u2019, a statement<\/a> said. However, there were no legal grounds to block the invitation.<\/p>\n

Thus, the event was set to proceed, though the university imposed various security requirements. \u201cNaturally, incitements to break the law or commit violence are not allowed\u201d, the statement emphasised, a sentiment also echoed on the organisers\u2019 poster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cancelled<\/h2>

The government has now decided to impose an entry ban. While the event might have been held online, the university has confirmed it has been cancelled<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t

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