A student who claimed to be subjected to 'anti-Jewish' hatred at a London university violated a memorial ceremony for graduates killed in Gaza. According to a group chat journal reviewed by Middle East Eye, she apparently edited quotes to bolster her position.
Tali Smus, who calls herself a 'British Zionist' on Instagram, recently published an article for the Telegraph newspaper titled: 'How I am being persecuted for my beliefs as a Jewish student at King's College.'
In this article, she describes how in September 2024, after starting her studies, her English literature classmates began attacking her in an Instagram chat, calling her 'damn Zionist.'
Smus claims that 'nearly 100 people attacked me against one' after she 'tried to discuss our different views and have a productive conversation.' In conclusion, she writes: 'I am a Jewish student at King's College London (KCL), and I refuse to be a statistic. The antisemitic hatred I have faced will not remain a statistic.'
The Telegraph article was published on July 17, shortly after an Al Jazeera investigation into 'strict measures against pro-Palestinian students' at the university. This occurred during the government's 'review of antisemitism in English schools and colleges.'
However, the quotes Smus uses to confirm the accusation that she is a victim of 'antisemitic hatred' differ from those in the group chat journal from which the messages allegedly originated. She continued to use and write in this chat long after the specified period.
Furthermore, she has past and current ties to several 'extremist' groups supporting Israel, which have a track record of denigrating and intimidating Palestinians and activists supporting Palestine. Over the weekend, Smus appeared on GB News as a recipient of the Stand With Us scholarship, which is right-wing and supports Israel. The Guardian describes this group as one that 'closely cooperated with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including opposing boycotts in support of Palestine.'
She also received a scholarship and created media content for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Coverage and Analysis (Camera). Additionally, she is president of the KCL student organization Students Supporting Israel, which is partially funded by the Adelson family, who successfully lobbied US President Donald Trump to move the American embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.
Camera describes its scholars as 'leaders on campuses in North America, the UK, and Israel, actively spreading the truth about Israel.' The organization also links them to various media outlets. In July 2025, Smus started a blog for the Times of Israel titled: 'Have you heard of James O'Brien. An antisemitic commentator on LBC.'
According to her LinkedIn profile, Smus worked as a research assistant at the far-right Henry Jackson Society, whose senior researcher, former British army officer Andrew Fox, amplified Smus's story. She is currently a policy research intern for Conservative Deputy Home Secretary Chris Philp, whom she met at the Britain 'March Against Antisemitism' event.
Tali Smus did not respond to numerous emails from MEE regarding the allegations in this article. The Telegraph also did not respond to similar questions and requests for comment.
In her Telegraph article, Smus states that one student in the chat wrote to her: 'If she interrupts... the lecture tomorrow again... she should be kicked out.' However, the actual message in the chat seen by Middle East Eye reads: 'If she interrupts the writing lecture tomorrow again, I swear to God, she should be kicked out'—which is KCL's official policy allowing instructors to ask disruptive students to leave the lecture hall or classroom.
She further writes that another student wrote: 'As a group we should just unite and throw her out at that moment.' Although it is possible that this message was sent and then deleted, Smus did not answer the question of providing proof of its sending.
In other places, according to the chat journal, Smus appears to have altered messages concerning herself. In one instance, she writes that someone wrote 'bitch, sit down,' which would be a direct threat to her, whereas the chat journal contains the phrase 'this bitch sat down,' which, however unpleasant it may be, is a description and was sent in the context of Smus waving the Israeli flag on campus before a demonstration in support of Palestine.
The journal shows that another student wrote about 'trying to enlighten Zionists,' while the Telegraph article records this as 'finally, an attempt to enlighten Zionists.' Smus claims that it was 'nearly 100 against one,' meaning the entire group was against her, but message analysis shows it was closer to 20 students who voiced objections to her stance on Israel, especially regarding the genocide in Gaza.
At one point, one student defended Smus, writing: 'What is happening to the hooligans? This goes beyond differences in political ideologies or beliefs—it is outright persecution... Please be respectful.' Smus remained in the group and continues to send messages there to this day.
Despite other students in the group acknowledging that some messages sent by Smus might have been unpleasant, they insisted that it was her support for Israel, not her identity as a Jewish student, that provoked their anger.
A KCL academic noted: 'She is afraid to attend classes but feels safe attending demonstrations that should be hostile to her.' In October 2024, shortly after the messages were sent, KCL sent an email reminding students of their conduct obligations.
On October 7, 2024, a pro-Palestinian protest and demonstration took place on campus. This action partly commemorated Dr. Maysara Al-Reyes and Dr. Adnan al-Burshi, two KCL graduates killed by Israel. In her Telegraph article, Smus writes that 'on the first anniversary of the horrific Hamas attack on Israel, activist students planned a pro-Palestinian march to mark the 'year of genocide'.' She continues: 'The fact that 1200 innocent Israelis were killed that day, and over 250 taken hostage, did not matter.'
Yet, she does not mention that she participated in a counter-demonstration in support of Israel and was photographed with a large Israeli flag. She also does not mention that the procession was partly a mourning for two graduates killed by Israel. An unnamed KCL academic told MEE: 'She is afraid to attend classes but feels safe attending demonstrations that should be hostile to her to create content for Instagram. Other students dislike her. That's it.'
One chatmate said: 'I think some of my messages, as well as others, might seem indecent to some. I regret some phrasing—I was a first-year university student, and encountering someone who shamelessly supports Israel's terrible actions in Gaza touched a nerve in me and many others.'
In the Telegraph, Smus claims she was against it because she 'did not hate Israel,' and that this, combined with her Jewish identity, led to a 'flood of insults.' However, the chat journal shows that from the beginning, she clearly indicated that she had long supported and defended Israel's actions. This is precisely why, according to fellow students and faculty, she was attacked.
In recent days, the hashtag '#كذبوا_عليكم' or '#They_lied_to_you' has become popular on social media, which activists use to draw attention to the ongoing aggression of Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Despite the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel in October 2025, Tel Aviv continued to commit violations and launch attacks against residents of Gaza. According to civil defense and hospitals in Gaza, at least 11 people died across the territory due to Israeli attacks on Saturday, including three children along with their parents.
According to AFP, it became known on Sunday that the violence continued, and attempts to reach a long-term agreement that could end the war forever stalled. During a procession of mourning in the city of Gaza on July 6, 2026, the body of Fadi Dagmash, a Palestinian man presumed killed along with his wife in an Israeli bombing in the Sabra area, was carried by mourners.
A representative of the civil defense told AFP that three children and their parents died after a Tel Aviv attack on an apartment building in the northwestern part of Gaza City. According to him, the only surviving family member is one child who was not in the house during the shelling.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, as of Friday, at least 1144 people have died due to the violation of the ceasefire regime, and about 3703 have been injured. Activists also emphasized that hunger and harsh living conditions persist because Israel continues to prohibit the entry of necessary humanitarian aid into the strip.
