The Forgotten Refugees

I’ve avoided bombarding this site with too much material about parliamentary debates, but since Harry’s Place has flagged it up, I will do my worst. This is about a very, very, very belated debate about Jewish refugees. “the forgotten refugees”

If this story were as well known as the plight of the world’s favourite refugees, it might give all those staunch anti-Zionists a little pause for thought.

Hansard transcription is here.

Theresa Villiers gave a particularly brilliant speech. So did Ivan Lewis, and Jim Shannon (DUP) whose reference to the BBC was particularly apposite.

“First, the media bias against Israel and her people is exactly that: bias. For example, when the BBC attempts to set a narrative that does not equate to what is actually taking place on the ground—such as reporting retaliatory missiles launched by Israel in such a way that it seems like an offensive attack—we must investigate and seek the truth, but not from those who seek to write the narrative that suits them.”

It’s a pity that this debate came and went with no interest from the media, but that’s normal. Had there been the publicity or the media exposure the topic deserved, it might have helped dispel some of the current misconceptions about Israel and its so-called ‘right to exist’.

When I mentioned the other debate - the one in the House of Lords about antisemitism, I mentioned Baroness Tonge's assurance that the reason for her pro-Palestinian activism wasn’t antisemitism (she is another one without those elusive racist bones) but a heartfelt plea for an end to ‘injustice’.

Well, I do wonder if she watched this debate. She might have learned something about the meaning of injustice.

The one thing that troubled this viewer was the conspicuous absence of any recognition that the root cause of displacement, injustice and misery is shared by both sets of refugees. It is one and the same, namely hatred of Jews. The hatred that emanates from the religion of Islam. 

This debate left the impression that the refugee problem was a kind of yin and yang scenario. Tit for tat - Muslims and Jews, Sharks and Jets. But no. The current plight of the Palestinians came about as a result of their religious prejudice against the Jews, as did the expulsion of the Jews from the Middle East and North African countries. So, not two sides of the same coin. Not at all.