Oxford/Cambridge Universities - Feelings run high

The appearance of Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, at Oxford Union provoked protests and scuffles last week. Interruptions came from protesters criticising Israel's conduct in Palestine. Meanwhile, Israeli historian Benny Morris has criticised a decision by the Israel Society at the University of Cambridge to cancel a talk at the Cambridge Union. Professor Morris told Varsity magazine: "I believe the attempt by several Cambridge students and a lecturer to prevent me lecturing in Cambridge is a violation of basic rights of free speech - just as preventing publication of cartoons depicting Jesus, Moses or Muhammad is a violation of free speech."