In my mind, the problem lies with the meaning of Semitic - and of what actually constitutes anti-Semitism - not to mention the difference between the terms Jew and Zionist - not all Jews are Zionists, but all Zionists are Jews. All deliberately designed to cause confusion in peoples' minds as it can refer to religion, ethnicity or language? If used to describe ethnicity, then surely it can't apply to the likes of Netanyahu who is Polish, nor to a large percentage of the population of Israel who are of European descent. Similarly, I'm not sure that the ability to speak a Semitic language makes the speaker a Semite - I can speak (or used to able to speak) a little Darumbal, but that doesn't allow me to claim that I'm an indigenous native of Central Queensland. At one point in my life I could speak passable French, but that didn't make me French. From the dim, dark days of the Tory government, I can remember an advice issued by Eric Pickles to the police on what constitutes antisemitism (and is therefore illegal) - in which he pointed out that there was no internationally agreed definition. Amongst other things, the UK government made it illegal to be a Holocaust denier, as well as denying that Nazi actions against Jewish people amounted to genocide. I find it odd that neither the Tory nor the current government haven't issued a similar advice regarding the actions of Israelis against Palestinians - yet are happy to make it illegal to protest in favour of Palestinians. Palestinians who actually are Semites.
Immunity or impunity? Given where live, I doubt very much I'd have that charge thrown in my face. I don't personally know of anyone who supports Israel or its actions - and I get the sense that a majority of people across Scotland are pro-Palestine. There have been protests and counter-protests about Palestine in cities, but in the latter the protestors appear to have been mainly Yaxley-Lennon types bussed up from England.
I find it staggering that so many folks cannot differentiate between the Israeli people from their ghastly government, and the Palestinian people from hamas. It is possible to despise the netanyahu regime and hamas. It is the people who suffer every time and that sticks in my craw. hamas, of course, take the view that the Israeli people voted in their government so they are all liable -hence the October 7th "justification". hamas have held a gun to the head of the Palestinian people since they took power. The people themselves, apparently, don't matter.
A good post BB. and one I agree with but I would take issue with one point - not all Zionists are Jewish ! The idea of Zionism originated in the mid 19th Century amongst Christian Evangelists - who presumably saw it as a way of getting rid of the ''Jewish problem'' (ie. exporting it to the middle east). Most jews at that time were very much against the idea - seeing it as a negative in their quest for integration in their adopted lands. Zionists then were against all forms of integration of Jews in Europe and the USA because that ran against their ultimate aim. For the Jewish Labour organizations the idea of a nation built upon the idea of race was anathema. At the time of the Balfour declaration the only Jewish member of parliament in Westminster was against it - seeing it as a racial enterprise. most jewish organizations remained against Zionism until the late 1930s. in 1946 Jewish intellectuals in the USA sent an open letter to the US Government pleading with them not to support the idea of a state only for Jews - seeing it as a movement with Fascist overtones, The signatures include those of Albert Einstein and Hannah Arendt. Would the Zionists of today rewrite history to classify Einstein as an anti semite ? The idea that a person cannot be Jewish and also Fascist is rubbish - there is a historical connection, and Jews were overrepresented in the Italian Fascist party - Mussolini himself was very much interested in the idea of Zionism. Fast forward to today - many Fascists have a great admiration for Israel (a state built upon ethnic lines similar to what they would want for their own countries). By a strange twist of fate, leftists of today tend to be anti Zionist but would be the first to stand against anti semitism (Corbyn being an obvious example) - those on the far right who are anti semitic tend also to support Zionism. Netanyahu feels himself quite at home with characters like Orban in Hungary and with other anti semites who support him - why, because there is a historical link. Zionism is deeply anti semitic - because it is (and always has been).against all measures leading to the integration and emancipation and equal treatment of Jews in their adopted countries. I understand that a certain Tommy Robinson is also very much an admirer of Zionism. So a zionist doesnt have to be Jewish - it can also include anyone who wants to transport the Jews to the middle east (and thus get rid of them) and, at the same time, stir up the Arabs.
I have lost friends and relatives over this and truly fed up over the number of times I have to try and explain the history calmly to people who then flatly deny it....
Our family had a strict rule about not discussing politics or religion, and extended that to in-laws as well - there's simply no point in alienating your siblings'spouses. I extended it to close friends up here, in Watford, and in Australia as both subjects are too divisive and I don't want to alienate any friends - the majority of whom I've known for between 50 and 60 years. Friends and family are just too precious for me, and they all know that - even those who I suspect may be right wing voters and/or churchgoers. Although I've now been back in the UK for twenty years, it's good to know that I have friends in Australia who are more than happy to communicate with me regularly on virtually any topic under the sun (bar religion or politics) by phone, Skype, email or social media. It's actually very good for mental health knowing you have a network like that.
Yeah it was a bit wordy and not a paragraph in there It's my dislike of using digital media coming out
Watch the film. ISRAELISM..Young Jews explain that they are taught at an early stage to say that any perceived anti Israel statement is ' anti- semitic '.. which is bollocks..but we can ut working all over
We need to wake up and start asking questions of ourselves Yorkie. Israel for all its propaganda is not a weapon producing country - nearly all of their weapons are being produced in the USA (60%), Germany (30%) and the rest from the UK and Italy - so we are responsible for their murders as well.
I have a couple of Jewish friends who are well to the left and hate Netanyahu but at the same time hate what is happening to the people of Israel. I have no time for any of the radicals in the Middle East and that includes most of the governments and certainly includes Hezbollah and Hamas. Hamas are clearly being used as a tool in the power struggle between Iran and Saudi, as are the factions in Yemen, which everyone forgets about. Beneath all of them are the instruments of fear - usually radical religious nutters. Many years ago I hitchhiked out of Beirut during the Lebanese civil war because I had what I later discovered was hepatitis and wanted to get to somewhere safe, like Damascus. I knew that I was very ill and there was no public transport. Anyway, I got a ride from some guy. There were bullet holes in the passenger seat (a minor detail) and a swastika hanging from his car key ring. The guy was a Christian in the Lebanese divide, and told me that the Israelis were funding the arms that were getting to the Christian militias. He also told me that there had been three great men in all of history - Jesus Christ, Napoleon (he would have had a French based education) and Adolf Hitler.
I am not so sure that the Poles would agree with the statement that Netanyahu is Polish BB. in my experience being Polish is more or less synonymous with being Roman Catholic and therein lies the problem. The Jews may have been in Europe for a thousand years but they were never considered as being European (at least not in central Europe - Britain may have been different). But you are right - Israel is mostly a European colonial enterprise (non European Jews weren't really interested in the enterprise). Behind the phrase ''The Jews should have their own homeland'' (at least when used by Gentiles) was contained the idea that the home should be over there and no longer amongst us in Europe and tthe USA.. The creation of the state of Israel was attractive to anyone who wanted to get rid of the Jews and concentrate them in one place (far away from Europe). At the same time establishing a semi European outpost in the Middle East which was usefull for strategic reasons. Also the idea of a promised land for a promised people fit in very well with Fascist ideas of Blut und Boden (blood and soil), and the idea of a nation state built on ethnic principles was very close to the Nazi ideal ( a link which was recognized by both some Nazis and Zionists in the 30s). So also today the idea of Zionism has its strongest supporters amongst the radical right of the political spectrum - strangely enough amongst people who are simultaneously anti semitic and pro Zionist - why pro Zionist ? - because without the creation of Israel most of them would still be with us in Europe. So by a quirk of fate the AfD in Germany are strong supporters of the Zionist ideal. And by an even stranger twist of fate anti Zionists such as Jeremy Corbyn (who would be the first to protect Jews or any other minority in an existential crisis) are cast with the anti semitic label - very often by people who are themselves anti semitic. The system in Tel Aviv will constantly emphasize that anti Zionism is anti Semitism (in other words any criticism of Israel is anti Jewish) - exactly the reverse is the case. You can only be truly pro Jewish if you are anti Zionist.
Flipping heck!! More Labour incompetence - or just a continuation of the Tory flow of cash from the poor to the rich? "Reeves has unlocked a new level of incompetence until now thought impossible."
Thankyou for an extraordinarily interesting and informative and revealing post. It adds a great deal to my simplistic understanding of how we got here.his is my take on it. It's all about land. The Zionists believe in their God-given right as stated in the Bible (OT) to which all Christians like me are supposed to accept , to occupy and 'possess ' the land that is Israel. I'm not clear just how much of this land they see as theirs.Two consequences flow from this belief. 1) As it is based on a religious conviction, it is non-negotiable. 2) Until all Palestiinans leave this land , or the Zionists - in which I include the strict religious Israeli political groupings - lose all influence in the political control of Israel, peace is not possible. If I am correct, can anyone hazard a guess when either of these two outcomes will happen ? Am I correct ?
Who knows really - maybe when the US, and the UK, butt out instead of butting in, the Israelis will stop. Or maybe when numerous governments around the world actually do what they're suppose to do and listen to their citizens, something positive might happen.
Sometimes I really despair about UK government departments - insensitive, uncaring and bloody incompetent. https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1848298058741699059.html
I have been wondering just what is the difference with Americans compared to Brits when it comes to elections. Over there they will travel for miles to join a crowd of tens of thousands at a rally, whereas in the UK only the really committed will even walk down the road to hear what a candidate is offering. In France we have a Presidential election every so often, and although some quite large rallies are held in the largest cities; they are nothing like the size or frequency of those in the States. Have Americans succumbed to advertising? It does seem that, if so, you can buy democracy with enough money.
