Comments on: Lib Dems vilify Israel to win Muslim votes … except in Hampstead

By: Frugal Dougal

Frugal Dougal — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:56:32 +0000

I was at a very interesting hustings last night when Labour’s Cambridge PPC, Daniel Zeichner, found himself the butt of antisemitic remarks merely because his name sounds Jewish. There were also calls to stop arming Israel, echoed by the Lib Dem candidate.

By: Chas Newkey-Burden

Chas Newkey-Burden — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:36:57 +0000

Just for the record I personally do not think Jews need to have a set opinion on *anything*. I am sorry if I personally have ever given the opposite impression.

I do differ with you about Hamas, though. You say that a withdrawal from the territories would deprive Hamas’s terrorists of popular support. The opposite is surely true? Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005 and off the back of that Hamas ran for election – and won – on a ticket that said Israel’s withdrawal was a vindication of its armed conflict.

It is easy to criticise Israel’s day-to-day policy on Gaza but you do not have an alternative and I suspect you don’t live in the areas that would come under immediate attack if the ‘blockade’ were lifted.

By: Kristina Feldmann

Kristina Feldmann — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:45:27 +0000

A number of previous comments speculated on whether the party has anti-semitic tendencies.

Certainly the article and most of the comments state outright or at least imply that by trying to ‘win the Muslim vote’ by condemning the treatment of Palestinians by the state of Israel, the Lib Dems ought not to also appeal to Jewish voters as they did in Hampstead. This in turn implies that all Jews ought to be offended by the Lib Dems’ stance on Israel – there may well be a number of Jews living in Hampstead who will want to vote for the Lib Dems precisely because of their views on the Middle East conflict.

With regard to Hamas, a more sincere effort on the part of Israel to find a workable solution to the conflict, and a withdrawal from the illegally occupied territories should deprive Hamas’ terrorist elements of popular support.

I am not claiming to have all the answers to resolve this conflict, but from reading through this article and listening to the panicked voices of previous comments about Israel losing support of the UK government a desire to maintain the status quo and not to make any concessions becomes painfully apparent.

By: Chas Newkey-Burden

Chas Newkey-Burden — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:22:36 +0000

Returning to your original point – can you remind me who has suggested here that the Lib Dems are anti-semitic as a party?

And who has suggested that ‘that being a Jew automatically means being a supporter of Israeli foreign policy’?

And also what would you do about Hamas and its terror?

By: Kristina Feldmann

Kristina Feldmann — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:19:50 +0000

Hmm let me think, Chas, how about the continued blockade of Gaza, which effectively treats the population like a herd of animals, caged in and dependent on the little hand-outs the Israeli government sees fit to allow in. It is utterly demeaning. Oh no, wait, it’s all Hamas’ fault, I forgot.

Apologies, your patronising tone made me lower mine

By: Chas Newkey-Burden

Chas Newkey-Burden — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:32:04 +0000

Kristina, who has suggested here that the Lib Dems are anti-semitic as a party?

And can you produce examples of the “daily” atrocities committed by Israel? How about just over the past seven days, one for each day?

By: Kristina Feldmann

Kristina Feldmann — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:27:38 +0000

Speaking openly against the atrocities Israel commits on a daily basis against the Palestinian people, and calling for the UK to stop arming the state does not make the party anti-semitic. It is, in fact, hugely offensive to suggest that being a Jew automatically means being a supporter of Israeli foreign policy.

By: Ian Duckworth

Ian Duckworth — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:29:59 +0000

German born Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Heywood and Middleton Wera von Reden Hobhouse posted the comment “Totaler krieg!” on a local website. A quote from one of Josef Goebbels most infamous speeches. Personally I don’t see the joke.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:13:20 +0000

Thanks for sharing the video of the PPCs explaining their views on Israel. I’d be interested to see a similar question posed in front of an all Muslim audience though.

By: MArk2

MArk2 — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:22:34 +0000

And while we’re about it, take a look at this:

http://www.hurryupharry.org/2010/03/08/tories-yeah-but-no-but-yeah/