University of Liverpool students have voted against the divisive Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

A total of 820 students voted down a motion to back the anti-Israel campaign, while 748 supported it. The Union of Jewish Students hailed the move, saying: “Mazel tov to Liverpool Jewish society and students for defeating a BDS referendum.

“Dialogue, not division, is the way to bring about better understanding on campus, as well as an eventual end to the conflict.”

On social media, Jewish former Labour MP Louise Ellman said: “Well done!”

The Liverpool Guild — the university’s representative student body — said: “Following the outcome of the referendum, we are committed to continuing to build positive campus relations and will be putting steps in place to ensure this.”

A proposal to support BDS was initially proposed by a student on the Guild’s online platform.
The idea was discussed at the union’s 8 February meeting but as no agreement was reached the matter was sent to a cross-campus ballot.

Liverpool student officials said: “The referendum gave all students the opportunity to express their views on this topic and shape the action we should take.”

In 2015, University of Liverpool students voted to support BDS. More than 1,000 students voted in the referendum, which was hailed as a “landslide victory” by student Palestine campaigners.

Critics of the BDS movement say it seeks to “delegitimise” Israel by singling out the world’s only Jewish state for disproportionate punishment.