Compendium

I have come to realise that my pro-Israel focus is of relatively minority interest, even for BBC bias nerds. It’s a bit niche, or it was until a few months ago. While this stuff is important to many of us (me) I could easily dominate this blog with material that would invite “people” to dismiss it as “Zio" - not that I need approval from them - but for that reason I’ve condensed this material, harvested from a particularly vibrant link-rich post on the Elder of Ziyon website into what Craig referred to the other day as a ‘pamphlet’. 

It’s turned into a giant post, but I hope it isn’t dismissed as another tl;dr  - It’s more of a digest, a compendium. Dip in.

1) For me, a must-read. Many of EoZ’s pieces are American-authored and primarily aimed at an American audience. However, since the Labour Party’s antisemitism hit the fan, British politics has been catapulted into the spotlight.

Jeremy Corbyn Reminds Us Why Israel Exists. National Review

As Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis correctly points out, Corbyn hasn’t merely “tolerated” anti-Semitic attitudes — as so many publications like to claim — but rather he has actively transformed Labour, once one of the most important political parties in the free world, into a safe haven for Jew-hatred. As Mirvis notes, under Corbyn, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, Labour has “hounded parliamentarians, members and even staff out of the party for challenging anti-Jewish racism.” 

Perhaps Corbyn’s rise simply reflects a new — or is it a renewed? — reality in Europe? A recent ADL poll claims that a quarter of Europeans hold anti-Semitic views. Around 45 percent of Poles and 42 percent of Ukrainians admit to pollsters that they believe that “people hate Jews because of the way Jews behave,” a view that over 30 percent of our old friends the Austrians and Germans share. And one of the fastest growing groups in Europe, Muslims, are importing an even deeper enmity towards Jews than is found in Poland, Ukraine, Germany, and elsewhere. Muslims in Western Europe are anti-Semitic at almost three times the rate of the general population. Thus far, Corbyn has appeased, rather than tried to extinguish, this hatred. 

If Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party ends up winning next month, Britain will be led by an openly anti-Semitic government. Mirvis warns that such a result is an existential threat to Britain’s Jewry. What he can’t say, but implies, is that people such as Corbyn are exactly why Israel must exist.

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2)That fake letter This David Collier piece has been on our sidebar for a short while. A piece that can genuinely be described as ‘investigative’ journalism.

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3) Here’s Gisela Stuart. Labour’s loss. Guido Fawkes

WATCH: @GiselaStuart tears into Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. pic.twitter.com/WAJB9uychz

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) November 29, 2019

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4)  Corbyn rejected by prominent British historian of Nazi Germany J.Post

"The British legal academic Julius said that “Antisemitism is stupid. It makes people stupid. It is not a coincidence that the least accomplished leader of the Labour Party is also its only antisemitic one…This is not a party that cares about the concerns of the Jewish community, save insofar as those concerns might have a damaging impact on its electoral fortunes.”

I tackled this issue in an earlier post, but it’s worth adding this:

"Julius concluded his letter stating: “To purge the party of antisemitism will be the work of a generation. The evidence that the political will exists to undertake this task is not compelling: members are not yet ashamed enough of their party’s antisemitism. The driving out of leading Jewish (and non-Jewish) politicians from the party, who cited its antisemitism, did not have a substantial impact on party morale, still less commit its officials and elected members to decisive action. We cannot leave the work to the party itself. Supporters have to lend a hand. Depriving the party of a vote is a start.”

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5) This is a short article from the Campaign Against Antisemitism, but I thought this quote was worth passing on to our readers.

Respected Rabbi Menachem Margolin / blistering attack on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

“There is no nuance, no clever turn of phrase or election soundbite that can undo what is done by Jeremy Corbyn. His record of supporting terrorists who want nothing short of the destruction of the world’s only Jewish State, his sympathy with those who murder and maim women, children, the elderly – any civilian – as long as they are Jewish – is a matter of public record that no amount of spin or whitewashing can erase. This is his legacy. He must live with it, and the solid and justified judgement and abhorrence that comes with it from the vast majority of Jews, not just in the UK but in Europe too.”

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6)

Watch as John McDonnell is confronted by British Jews leaving Labour's 'Arts For All' event.

When asked why Labour is ignoring the concerns of British Jews he awkwardly dismisses their fears and scuttles off to a waiting car.#LabourAntisemitism pic.twitter.com/FFnRuAnVek

— Israel Advocacy Movement (@israel_advocacy) November 28, 2019

John McDonnell leaving an 'arts' event with hard-left ‘veteran’ agitator Tariq Ali, supporter of Hamas and throwback to a previous generation of commies. One might have hoped these Peter Pans would have grown up by now. Of course, Peter Pan never grew up if I remember correctly.

Israel to blame for rise in antisemitism, left wing veteran Tariq Ali declares.

Describing Mr Corbyn as his “old friend and comrade”, Mr Ali – who founded the Stop The War movement – said that he wanted to begin his remarks by speaking about “antisemitism that we are told has swept the Labour Party, that we are told is a big problem for the left.” 

He accepted there was prejudice against Muslim, Jew and gay people, but added: “If you were to ask me what is a bigger problem in Europe and north America – is it antisemitism, or is it Islamophobia? 

“The answer is very clear, it is Islamophobia.”

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7) For dessert, with a cherry on top, Canceling Roger Waters

Most people who find Roger Waters’ position on Israel and BDS objectionable take the “high road” and do not call for a boycott of the political activist/musician because of a fundamental objection to cultural boycotts. They believe, as do I, that cultural boycotts undermine the peace and understanding that comes from cultural exchange. Others, however, do not initiate a boycott of Waters because they believe it will be fruitless. For the latter, this example might make them think again. 

The activists at the Westwood IPic theater wanted to send the message that antisemitism, like racism and sexism, is toxic to our world and you can no longer be publicly antisemitic without consequences. 

Like everyone else, artists are entitled to express their opinions and advocate for their personal agendas. When they do, however, they invite a public response and fame and fortune should not be a shield.

You might not see (any of) these items on the BBC -  that's why they're here.

Double edged sword

There have been some odd reactions to the announcement that the world renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin has adopted Israeli citizenship, even though he resides elsewhere.

I wrote here about a letter he sent to the BBC criticising their “slander and bias” against Israel, which is  “Painfully reminiscent of the old Soviet propaganda” 

On 28th November on Norman Lebrecht’s blog ‘Slipped Disc’ some strange comments appeared below an announcement about Kissin’s Israeli citizenship.

“What’s the point?”, asked pianist Sanda Schuldmann. Later, in a subsequent Slipped Disc piece on December 7th about this topic Ms Schuldmann posted another enigmatic comment, virtually amounting to: ‘If-you-like-it-so much-why don’t you go and live there’, and: “I find this right down(sic) disgusting” .

I have no idea what to make of this, but given that her Twitter feed is full of mightily (‘right-down’) abrasive tweets, her bark is probably worse than her bite. The interweb does seem to amplify fury and it’s awfully easy to misinterpret a comment or a tweet. Here’s an amusing example from this morning’s Woman’s Hour. Did you hear it? 

Jane Garvey read out a Tweet from a listener: “ I’m home sick and it’s a delight to hear Woman’s Hour live for once.” (something like that) but Jane Garvey read out  “I’m homesick, and it’s a delight to hear Woman’s Hour live for once ”,  and added something like “I hope you’re enjoying it, wherever you are” See where she went astray? 

I’m home, sick, obviously, not “I’m homesick.” Maybe the lady didn’t punctuate her tweet, but still the meaning should have been obvious from the rest of the message.

I digress.

Anyway, the point is, Evgeny Kissin is a fine example of a highly respected figure exploiting his fame, eminence, stature and, yes, celebrity-dom, to highlight a political stance. But this time, for a change, it’s for a genuine and righteous cause. 

Is this merely the other side of the Annie Lennox/ Alexei Sayle/ Nigel Kennedy coin, I hear you ask? The coin embraced by Roger Waters, Iain Banks, Stephen Hawking, and all the thousands of celebrity BDSers?

Am I nowt but a hypocrite who doesn’t like a dose of her own medicine?

In a way it is, and I am, but I reject their immoral ‘moral stand’ and applaud Evgeny Kissin’s because the celebrity BDSers have chosen to join a bandwagon that stems from antisemitic propaganda -  and it’s unreliable in the extreme, to boot. Roger Waters feels he has studied the topic ‘in depth’ as he has read a “well written” book by Max Blumenthal. He makes no bones about his feelings.

“The situation in Israel/Palestine, with the occupation, the ethnic cleansing and the systematic racist apartheid Israeli regime is unacceptable.”  

All the bog standard chants that symbolise pro-Palestinian activism, which in reality happen to be as inapplicable to Israel as they are actually applicable to “Palestine”.

“it's the Palestinian People being murdered. It's the duty of every thinking human being to ask: “What can I do?” 

“Anybody who looks at the situation will see that if you choose not to take up arms to fight your oppressor, the non violent route, and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, […]is a legitimate form of resistance to this brutal and oppressive regime.”

Meaningless garbage on all counts.

I think the propaganda machine that starts in Israeli schools and that continues through all the Netanyahu’s bluster is poured all over the United States, not just Fox but also CNN and in fact in all the mainstream media. It's like a huge bucket of crap that they are pouring into the mouth of a gullible public”

Moats and beams, Roger. It brings to mind a children’s book we used to have called “Inside, outside, upside down”,  but it ain’t nearly so amusing. 

“They’ve always had the Ben Gurion agenda of kicking all the Arabs out of the country and becoming greater Israel. They tell a lie as part of their propaganda machinery whilst doing the other thing..”

It’s as if he’s playing a game of ‘opposites’. You know, where everything you say has to be the reverse of the actuality, or you’re out.

 So Roger Waters rationalises the narrative he has decided to embrace, the one that reinforces his antisemitic inclinations.   

 It’s probably a human right to ‘boycott’, if you feel strongly about some injustice or other. For example I do my best not to shop at the co-op nowadays; my late mother would turn in her grave if she found out that we own a VW. 

But hey, who cares what I buy, where I go or what I do. If I were a celebrity however, I would cherish and guard my influence wisely, and I wouldn’t jump on any half-arsed bandwagon without doing some some serious self examination.

So here’s to Evgeny Kissin, and Tom Jones, Paul MacCartney and the other brave souls who dare buck the trend.

Pigs above the parapet

It wouldn’t make any difference if I decided to boycott Roger Waters because I never did like Pink Floyd, but would it make much difference to Roger Waters if he decided to properly boycott Israel, and would that  impinge on his career as an aging rock-star?

Enraged by the BBC’s decision to cut Nigel’s rant from the BBC3 broadcast, Waters hits back.

“I write to you now, my brothers and sisters in the family of Rock and Roll, to ask you to join with me, and thousands of other artists around the world, to declare a cultural boycott on Israel,” he wrote.
“Please join me and all our brothers and sisters in global civil society in proclaiming our rejection of apartheid in Israel and occupied Palestine, by pledging not to perform or exhibit in Israel or accept any award or funding from any institution linked to the government of Israel, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights.”

Oh. I see it’s only a partial boycott, selectively chosen so as not to interfere with all those intel chips and stuff that global civil society needs. 

“Time to stick my head above the parapet again, alongside my brother, Nigel Kennedy, where it belongs. And by the way, Nigel, great respect man.”

Now see what you’ve gone and done brother Nige, you fool. 

Just imagine, Roger and Nige, Annie Lennox, Alexei Sayle, Stephen Hawking and uncle Tom Cobley and all sticking their heads where they belong.

Celebrities will probably continue to advertise their ignorance and bigotry till inflatable pigs cease to fly.

Pigs and Placards

Take a look at these idiotic “No to Israeli Water Meters” clowns, then read this wonderful article by Qanta Ahmed that puts them and their ilk to shame.

“Boycotting Israel, whether academic or cultural is not an act of moral indignation, but an act of moral turpitude.”

“The shockingly ignorant acquiescence to the widespread braying for boycott, now a socially acceptable sport eclipsing the spirit of academe, whether led by Stephen Hawking or others, reveals the depth to which anti-Israel bias is now entrenched in our ivory towers.The reality is simple: Calling for an Israeli boycott invites no reprisals. It is more than socially acceptable; it is a badge of honor brandished by those claiming to defend ‘minorities’. Yet ironically, while the costs of boycott will be shouldered by every Israeli, the major costs will be born by Israel’s own minority population, including Israeli Muslims of Palestinian heritage. This is a population which is for the first time becoming highly educated, advancing in the workplace, collaborating with their fellow Israeli Jewish citizens and eager to enter the global marketplace of ideas. These Israeli Muslim Arabs are the keystones to lasting peace in the region. No one else is better positioned to bridge conflicts and cultures and yet no one else will be more penalized by boycott.”

There you are O’Reillys and other actors and purveyors of moral turpitude, put that on your pigs and placards and strut about with it.