It is wrong for a Jewish community spokesperson to say, but I am sick and tired of commenting on whatever the latest spat is between David Ward and British Jews.
I am bored by him and past caring whether or not he is ever to be properly disciplined by Liberal Democrat Party HQ. I hate focusing upon his latest tweet, ‘if I lived in #Gaza would I fire a rocket? – probably yes’ because it risks diverting attention from a far more serious point. Namely, why do so many good people on the left appear to simply turn a blind eye to the reality of what Hamas actually is, and what it would do to Jews given the chance (hint, see Islamic State right now).
But I must comment, because silence is not an option when British Jews are expressing unprecedented levels of concern due to this latest war between Israel and Hamas.
Jewish concerns amalgamate many things, including: the current levels of antisemitism in the United Kingdom (the second worst on record); European antisemitism, such as chants of ‘Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas’ and largely Muslim anti-Jewish riots in Paris; what Israel does; what Hamas does; how the media reports it; how politicians behave; the intimidating nature of anti-Israel protests and boycotts; and the pressures Jews face at work and socially. It is all wide open to a dizzying array of objective and subjective opinions.
In recent weeks, I have tried to explain these concerns in a seemingly endless series of media interviews. One of the first was with BBC Radio 5 Live on 23 July. By then, Community Security Trust – the organisation I work for, which monitors antisemitism and provides security to the Jewish community – had received over 70 reports of antisemitic incidents in July. Now, that figure stands at over 240 incidents (compared with 304 for January-June 2014). Many incidents involve verbal abuse and threats against Jews in public places. The dominant themes are that Jews being called child murderers or Nazis and being told Hitler was right.
The BBC radio interview came just after Ward’s Hamas rockets tweet, so I was asked about it in addition to the prearranged interview about the fast worsening problem of UK antisemitism. I summarised some antisemitic incidents reported to CST, and Ward then came on, dismissing everything I had said about him and the antisemitism, saying ‘we’ve heard it all before … criticism of Israel … antisemitism bandwagon’.
Later on, Ward apologised for the tweets. Now, Lib Dem chief whip Don Foster says he faces no further action. I am unaware of Ward having apologised for his yawning rejection of CST’s concerns about antisemitism. To be fair, his indifference seems widely reflected by most members of parliament, because very few have spoken out loudly against antisemitism, with Stephen Williams, Jim Murphy and Mike Freer among the exceptions. (Ward did subsequently stir to warn about potential antisemitic impacts from the words of his fellow Bradford MP, George Galloway).
This summer’s wave of antisemitism, and the (non) reactions to it, exemplify the situation that I warned of in the Jewish Chronicle in February of this year, while welcoming a near 20 per cent fall in the 2013 antisemitic incident levels. I wrote:
the worst antisemitism increases surround Israel and major Jewish issues. Thankfully, 2013 was relatively peaceful, with no big ‘triggers’ for antisemitic surges … Israel passions continue, as do malign chatter against Jews and Zionists. The lid stayed on the antisemitic pressure cooker in 2013, but the heat is still on.
This latest war between Israel and Hamas blew the lid off the antisemitic pressure cooker. Some of those anti-Israel and anti-Zionist passions found their physical outlet against Jewish targets, as they always do. (Hate speech causes hate actions. It is a basic political phenomenon and antisemitism is an old tradition.)
Many British Jews are looking at all of this and asking whether or not we will end up following the example and trajectory of France, where antisemitism has caused thousands of Jews to pack their bags in recent years and relocate to Israel, London and North America. They are also asking where the decent left and its leadership stands in its understanding of these local and global phenomena. Some answers, some indicators even, would be gratefully received.
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Mark Gardner is director of communications at the Community Safety Trust
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Photo: Flickr
Far worse than David Ward or even Jenny Tonge is Shabana Mahmood, who has praised ‘direct action’ against businesses stocking Israeli goods. At an anti-Israel rally, attended by thousands, she recently described how “We lay down in Sainsbury’s in Birmingham and closed down a store for five-and-a-half hours at peak time on a Saturday.” Where are the boycotts of genuinely oppressive regimes – China, for instance?
If you don’t think the treatment of the Palestinians is ‘oppressive’, then it just shows how out of touch you are.
Out of touch? Shows how little you know! I have many Arab friends in Israel and am also friends with a family in the West Bank, who have a brother in Gaza. I have visited those places which I am sure you have not. If you compare how people live in Gaza to how they live in,say, Djibouti or elsewhere in Africa (even in Egypt) you will find they lead very affluent lives. You’ve seen pictures of Gaza when it isn’t under fire, haven’t you? Well, as I have already said, I have BEEN to Gaza. Shimon is probably right, there isn’t a “decent left” left, they have all succumbed to political correctness, perhaps they would like to support the imposition of Sharia law, like Rowan Williams and the Law Society?
It may be worth checking what the Koran says about Jews. If Muslims still base their life style and opinions on it, then their views will coincide I’d imagine.
Religion is a social phenomenon; as with any other, participants are influenced by their immediate political and economic considerations in interpreting their texts. Israeli politics is a good example: the recent influx of East European Jews, understandably anti-communist, has increased conservatism, which has reinforced the settlement building (illegal under both Israeli and international law) which continues to aggravate the situation in the region. Same considerations apply to Christians’ various interpretations of the Christian Bible.
Arab Moslems continue to defy the Will of Allah (swt). That is why they have lost all of their genocidal wars against Israel. Isralis, motivated by survival, Arabs, motivated by the lust for land, and the lust for blood.
It does not give good credence to an article when the author cherry picks one lunatic who says he would fire rockets if he lived in Gaza.
We need to be more objective than that. The objective truth is that the USA has spent a large fortune protecting Israel from Hamas rockets with a “dome” – rockets do not reach the targets and Israelis do not get killed by them. Israelis who get killed are by far mostly soldiers in Gaza.
Furthermore, the Israelis have committed war crimes: they have killed thousands of innocent children, women, they have bombed schools and hospitals. Politians both Israeli and US have called bombings of Palestians “mowing the lawn.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/8/7/a_hideous_atrocity_noam_chomsky_on
Palestians live in an overpopulated ghetto where they are walled in beween barriers and the sea. They have for decades had their property and land stolen.
If you want a further proof that criticism of Israel is not antisemitic, go to aticles about “THE JEWS AGAINST GENOCIDE” some of these people live there – they see what happens – take your hat tip from them. THIS IS GENOCIDE.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/jews-against-genocide-protest-gaza-attack-at-yad-vashem-holocaust-museum-light-childrens-dolls-on-fire/5391390
I would like to add to my comment. Ed Miliband, our leader and Jewish himself, has had the goodness and decency to criticise Israel, like all decent human beings would, whether Jewish or otherwise. This has got nothing to do with antisemitism – any state doing what Israel is doing would be attending the Haig for war crimes if the human species had any sense.
Perhaps there isn’t a ‘decent left’ left?
Still doesn’t excuse the behaviour of Israel, for which you offer no apology
What do you mean “treatment of Palestinians”? Have you ever been to the West Bank or Gaza or Israel? All you know about the “treatment of Palestinians” is the propaganda they spew out constantly about their ill treatment. Let me tell you, they are treated far worse in the Arab countries. Did you know (no, probably not) that Palestinians refugees in the Arab countries are not ALLOWED to follow certain professions, such as medicine? There are massive restrictions on them because the Arab countries want them to remain as a running sore in the Middle East, the last thing they want is for the Palestinians to become citizens of their countries and lead happy and productive lives, as they do in Israel (where one citizen in five is non-Jewish and they are found in every walk of life, lots of doctors and lawyers).