Israel’s deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon spoke at the Oxford Union last night. As was – sadly – to be expected, there were angry protests. How revealing they were. Outside the talk, protestors chanted ‘Free Palestine – from the river to the sea’. This is an explicit, unambiguous call for the destruction of Israel in its entirety.
Meanwhile inside one protestor shouted that Mr Ayalon should be tried for his ‘war crimes’ during Operation Cast Lead. Mr Ayalon was not in government during Cast Lead, but why let the facts get in the way of accusing an Israeli of war crimes? Then a student stormed out, but not before shouting ‘Itbah Al-Yahud’ at Ayalon. This means ‘Kill The Jews’ in Arabic.
What a shower. The ‘Edge Of Where’ blog (by no means a slavish supporter of Israeli policy and no fan of Ayalon) has a first-hand report here.
This is of a piece with what’s happening in academia throughout the UK. Benny Morris, the Israeli historian who revised his views from extreme left to center, had his talk cancelled at the Cambridge Union – by the Israel Society no less, who were intimidated by the Muslim activists. See article here: http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?id=167972
Ben White of course is the notorious anti-Semite who frequents the Comment is (not) Free site of the al-Guardian. See CiFWatch for details.
To be fair I have never seen evidence that White is an antisemite, though I have read him saying that he “understands” why people are antisemitic. Indeed, I’m pretty appalled by many of his comments and writings on Israel.
The cancellation of Mr Morris’s talk is all the more disappointing in the light of who is allowed to speak there http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/26917/row-over-cambridge-university-hate-speaker
What is sad if the ineffectiveness of the Jewish community of Great Britain to push back against this horrible wave of anti-semitism. It reminds me of the Jews of Germany during the rise of Hitler. Cowardice in the face of hate only gets you expelled or killed. They think if they keep their heads down it will either by-pass then or go away. “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing…” heard that somewhere before.
Last night, Cambridge: Tamimi
Tonight, SOAS: White, Tamimi
University Vice-Chancellors – hang your heads in shame
Do any of these rabble really care about the Palestinian cause? They do it a great disservice with their naked anti-semitism.
I have just sent the following email to enquiries@oxford-union.org :
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Dear Oxford Union,
It has been reported that a student called out something in Arabic at Danny Ayalon on 8/2/2010, which Danny translated as “Kill the Jews”. If true, then this would seem to be incitement to religious or racial hatred, as well as incitement to murder.
From my perspective as an outsider, the Oxford Union has had a reputation as a bastion of free speech, though often forcefully stated. From this and other reported incidents, this reputation is suffering in my eyes and in the views I see expressed in blogs and other media.
I would hope that the Oxford Union will be seen to do something about this latest incident, even if only to be seen to investigate whether it is true. Even in a bastion of free speech, does anything go, or are there limits on acceptable speech and behaviour?
I look forward to your response,
Regards,
Jonathan Bush
Southam, UK
———————-
I wonder what I get back?
I have been away for a while, & it is so depressing to return to this hatred & prejudice. The bigots attack on all fronts – there are currently campaigns to stop Elton John from performing in Israel (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3846340,00.html) and a similar campaign to stop Prof David Bellamy appearing at a ZF event here. And Ambassador Michael Oren was given a very rough ride at a US university last night. All we can do is to be unstinted in our support of Israel – and to support those who dare to tackle the enemy face to face, like Jonathan Hoffman for whom my admiration knows no bounds.
I’m escaping from this madness for a bit – going to be in Israel later this month. So are you Chas I believe. If you’re there at the end of the month, hopefully you’ll have an amazing Purim.
This is an explicit, unambiguous call for the destruction of Israel in its entirety.
Which is not comparable to
“the politicide of the Palestinian people, a gradual but systematic attempt to cause their annihilation as an independent political and social entity.”
Baruch Kimmerling
Any form of extremism or hate mongering is deeply regrettable. However after Israel (reportedly, by their OWN soldiers) deliberately targeted & killed INNOCENT CIVILIANS in Gaza, MILLIONS of people across the planet are quite rightly OUTRAGED & LIVID with the Radical-Zionists who ordered, undertook & supported this slaughter of innocents.
WHEN WILL the demagogic Israeli govt & her supporters realise that they are superior to NO MAN. 99.9% of us in the UK who criticize Israel do it for EQUALITY & to bring down the cruel Apartheid. The whole world is SICK of Israel treating the INDIGENOUS Arabs as second class citizens and stealing more and more of their land water & dignity. Radical-Zionists have reduced the life of your average INDIGENOUS Arab to GRIEF & DESPAIR. Shame on all Radical-Zionists. We are ALL God’s EQUAL children not just the superior Jews.
WE are NOT anti-semitic. It is the radical-zionists are anti-semitic and their supremacist ideology DISHONOURS the great religion of Judaism.
I do not expect this to be printed, because it is probably simply TOO honest.
Elise, maybe it’s time to take a lead from our parents/grandparents, I’m talking 43 group.
Adam,
Your language which grossly and ludicrously overstates any reasoned case there might be against Israel gives the game away.
Your post refers to a “demagogic” Israeli government”. Now I won’t deny Bibi Netanyahu has a certain charisma – but “demagogic” is just ridiculous. You spit out words like “radical Zionist” seemingly for the sake of doing so. I mean, obviously the Israeli government Zionist – it would be odd if it wasn’t – but adding “radical” (others say “extreme”) simply shows your wish to demonise.
Most tellingly of all like many so called “critics of Israel” you fail utterly to take into account that there is a dispute going on. The treatment you say the Israelis mete out to Palestinians is done – for what – a laugh perhaps or because Israelis are (racially??) inclined to do that sort of thing? Perhaps now you begin to see how this kind of talk gains such “critics of Israel” the reputation of beg anti-semitic.
These things do not take place in some kind of vacuum. Gaza is controlled by a movement that is totally opposed to the existence of an Israeli state –as well as being openly and avowedly anti semitic. I don’t doubt that there are other Palestinians who long for peace. The trouble is that these tend not to be those who get the support of the “critics of Israel”. So for example should these Palestinians as part of a genuine attempt to link up with Israeli Jews, their projects would fall foul of the Boycott and Divestment Movement.
Turning to white phosphorous I am not clear what your evidence is that people were targeted by this. It is clear that Israeli forces used this material which is not in itself illegal. However by going much further and alleging targeting of civilians again you choose demonization – not criticism.
I know of no other country that receives this kind of opprobrium – and there are many countries whose human rights record is far worse than Israel. Above all perhaps no one considers it necessary to suggest that those countries – Sudan, Iran, China, should cease to exist as the price for their abuses.
Incidantally if you were only a little more knowledgable than you are you would know that Jews are also “indigenous” to the country having had a permanent place there for over 2000 years
So we – most Jews and other supporters of Israel – watch and listen, we hear hyped “criticism” (to put it kindly), failure to even account for the fact that what happens takes place in the context of a wider dispute – and all this directed at a country no larger than Wales as if it were the root of all the world’s problems (it isn’t but lets leave that for another day – tomorrow perhaps).
And what other conclusion can we – even with the best will in the world – reach other than that anti Semitism lurks somewhere here?
The Jews have always considered themselves “The Chosen People”. This obviously permits them to behave in total disregard to others who are ‘not the chosen people of the world’.
By the way, I am NOT anti-semitic. In fact many years ago as a teenager I supported the Jewish cause. Then I became more aware of the plans for Israel made at the beginning of the last century. Finally visiting Palestine to witness the shocking behavior of the Israelis.
Interesting rant, Adam, but throwing around random dramatic words without evidence or context might fool idiots or those with wider agendas but it is meaningless beyond that, even if you PUT SOME OF IT IN CAPITALS.
Come on, the idiots from Oxford last night do their cause no good with their antisemitism. Likewise you do your cause no good by just flinging around hysterical, unproven allegations.
Adam reminds me of someone who went under the sock of “David Soori”,on a different forum.For ages I couldn’t decide if it(he/she?) was a spoof or not.The proof will be if “Adam” starts claiming that we are all ENSLAVED by the GLOBAL FINANCIERS with their COMPOUND INTEREST and USURY.
Susan Pike, you have completely misinterpreted the meaning of “The Chosen People”. The concept is rooted in the ancient religious mission of the Jews as a people covenanted to the Almighty, a people charged with the responsibility of being “a light to lighten the Gentiles”.
Ben White strikes me as a particulary pernicious anti-Zionist.
On the relationship between antisemitism and anti-Zionism the lawyer and author Anthony Julius had this to say on the JC (4 Feb):
” It denies to Jews the rights that it upholds for other, comparable peoples. It adheres to the principle of national self-determination, except in the Jews’ case…. It is outraged by the Jewish nature of the state of Israel, but is untroubled by, say, the Islamic nature of Iran or of Saudi Arabia…. It is reluctant to take a position on the Chinese occupation of Tibet, while holding the Israeli occupation of the West Bank an indefensible evil of global consequence….
It treats UN, and UN committee and council, resolutions on Israel as if passed by impartial, apolitical bodies. It denies the existence of Islamic antisemitism, save perhaps as a Western import and of no practical consequence. While it excoriates racist sentiments found among Israelis, or in the complex history of Zionism, it refuses to acknowledge the racist themes towards Jews to be found in many currents of Arab nationalism….
Longstanding antisemites now embrace “anti-Zionism” as a cover for their Jew-hatred. This is because, in relation to Israel, the antisemite finds a protected voice. The desire to destroy Jews is reconfigured as the desire to destroy or dismantle the Jewish state. The new anti-Zionism has become a cause for some English academics and political activists; it is commonly found in the universities and in student and university teacher associations. Anti-Zionism has renewed antisemitism, and given it a future.”
Do please visit the JC website and read it all.
[...] one for today, here’s a cogent observation from Chas Newkey-Burden: Israel’s deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon spoke at the Oxford Union last night. As was – [...]
He was only doing what the Koran commands.. Allah has ordered Muslims to exterminate the Jews as a compulsory religious duty: http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/02/muslims-duty-is-to-exterminate-jews-in.html
Extremely tasteless to devote a whole section on your webiste to defending a neofascist government representative and to call protesters of human rights abusers anti-Semites.