An open letter has been published by local and national groups against former Israeli deputy prime minister, Dan Meridor, who will speak at the Cambridge Union on Wednesday (23/11). The invitation by the Union has sparked criticism, with groups from across the country signing an open letter against the event.

Dan Meridor, a long time member of the right wing party Likud , served as deputy prime minister from 2009-13 under the second Netanyahu government. During this period, he also served as minister of intelligence.

Cambridge’s Palestine Solidarity Society (PalSoc) have denounced the event in an open letter.

Currently at over 480 signatures, the letter says: “we have no fear of listening to our political opponents. What we will not tolerate are invitations to a succession of war criminals and torturers”.

The open letter cites recent reports by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Israeli human rights group B’Tselem to claim that Israel “is committing crimes of apartheid, a regime Meridor has upheld in his senior government posts”.

Meridor’s visit to the UK has sparked calls from the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians and other Palestinian rights groups for the senior Likud politician to be arrested by the Metropolitan Police for “suspected war crimes” during the 2010 raid on the Gaza Flotilla and the 2012 Israeli operation in the Gaza strip, amongst other cases.

The event at the Union comes after protests in Lent term against the hosting of Israeli ambassador and former Settlements Minister Tzipi Hotovely.

The open letter encourages members of the Cambridge Union, as well as students and academics, to boycott the event and instead join a demonstration taking place outside the building.

The Cambridge Union told Varsity that “the Cambridge Union is strongly committed to our founding principle of promoting Free Speech. The Union’s role is to create a safe space in which to discuss difficult topics and provide members with the opportunity to cross examine them. The format of our speaker events offers members a unique opportunity to directly question powerful and high profile figures”.

“Dan Meridor will be taking questions from members, and we would strongly encourage students to raise the concerns referenced in the open letter in this portion of the event. The Union will always work hard to ensure balanced coverage and was proud to host ambassador Husam Zomlot (Palestinian ambassador to the UK) last Michaelmas”.