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Students reject Gaza twin plan

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More than 1100 students at the University of Warwick have rejected a plan to twin with the Hamas-backed Islamic University of Gaza.

It is thought to be the first time a twinning motion has been defeated at the union.

Warwick's Jewish-Israeli Society was unable actively to oppose the twinning as it is classified as a cultural society by the university and cannot campaign.

But pro-Israel students lobbied their colleagues to vote against the proposal in the four-day online poll last week.

Although 878 voters supported the twinning, 1,155 voted against.

Economics student Daniel Schwarz said: "The Islamic Society has around 800 members, Friends of Palestine has around 100 and the Jewish-Israeli Society has only 70.

"Our campaign was a real community effort, with everyone helping out where they could."

Last December LSE's union agreed to twin with the Gaza institution.

During Operation Cast Lead, Israeli air strikes destroyed a science building at the Gaza university amid claims its facilities were being used for arms production.

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