Othman Sakallah, a Palestinian student who holds an offer to attend the London School of Economics (LSE) has tonight been elected as the Honorary President of the LSE Students' Union.

A campaign of students, staff and alumni is now seeking to force LSE to provide the necessy assistance for Othman to take up his place next year.

Pro-Palestine activists at the LSE argued that electing Othman as their Honorary President would uphold the values upon which the LSE was founded - the right to education for all and the protection of human intellect and dignity at LSE and beyond.

Othman's university application was supported by the Palestine Solidarity Inititiative (www.palestinesolidarity.org), who are now working with the LSE Students' Union Palestine Society and student representatives to secure the necessary financial and diplomatic support that Othman and other Palestinian students need to secure their right to education

In response to the news, Ziyaad Lunat an activist and co-founder of the Palestine Solidarity Initiative stated, "This is great news, showing that once again LSE stands shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian people who are subjected to a violent military occupation on a daily basis. We hope that this latest groundswell of support will make LSE see sense and provide the necessary financial and diplomatic support for Othman to be able to continue his education next year."