Ardent Zionists v Enlightened Jews: An Assault on British Jewry
May 14, 2012 12:06 by Simon PloskerThey must be the opposite of the:
large number of enlightened British Jews [who] see the double standards and object to Israel’s intransigence. It must be so hard to do what they do, behave with integrity and empathise with those they are instructed to hate.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
The disgraceful implication here is that British Jews who support Israel (which doesn’t necessarily mean having to agree with all Israeli policies) are lacking in integrity. And where does Alibhai-Brown get her evidence that British Jews are “instructed to hate” Palestinians? Actually, it is Alibhai-Brown’s readers who are being instructed to hate Israel.
This can only be taken as an assault on the bulk of the British Jewish community. After all, a 2010 survey of the community revealed that four-fifths of respondents said that Israel plays a central or important role in their Jewish identities while significantly, Jews in Britain clearly desire peace, and are eager to see the Israeli government take steps to achieve it:
Over three-quarters favor a “two state solution” as the “only way Israel will achieve peace with its neighbours in the Middle East”, and two-thirds favor trading land for peace. Furthermore, three-quarters oppose the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
So British Jews are overwhelmingly pro-Israel and pro-peace, while holding legitimate concerns for Israeli security. But for Alibhai-Brown, these Jews are anything but.
Jews (and anyone else) have the right to advocate for or support Israel without having their integrity or motives questioned. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown has crossed a line by dividing a community into “ardent Zionists” versus “enlightened Jews”.
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Alfred Marton
8:51 pm
May 22, 2012
As a fervent Zionist, I am delighted to see all of these antisemitic European countries like England being swallowed up by their growing Moslem populations. Sharia law will rule in the soon to
be extinct EU and NATO and the UN.
As for Israel, it has outlived 7 civilizations (ex; Roman Empire) and are still around.
If you can judge the future by the past, Israel will once again outlive another one.
Go Shria Law…suck up those antisemitic countries. Amen.
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Elana Starr
11:15 pm
May 22, 2012
While I despise the European nations’ shortsightedness and anti-Semitism, I am sorry, but I do not share your “delight” at them being taken over by Moslem extremists, if only because it does not bode well for Israel. I think the only hope for the world at large is for the Chinese and the Indians to get really tough with Muslims. And maybe Americans will stop will also start taking a hard line and not put up with the crap which is occurring in places such as Dearborn, Michigan, where Islam rules.
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Rich L
9:56 pm
May 23, 2012
Ms. Brown’s surname is appropriate indeed. It matches both her eye color and the content of her columns both of which clearly show she is full of “it.” Maybe a visit to her druggist would clear up the physical problem.
The mental one – well, that would only improve if she could demonstrate an open mind, something which she is apparently unwilling or unable to demonstrate. She is irrevocably committed to her polemic and doesn’t wish to be confused by the facts. Although we recognize our inherent difficulties* in teaching a pig to sing, we are no less absolved from at least making the effort.
* It is stressful and timeconsuming for the teacher and it annoys the heck out of the pig.
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Ruth Ben-Or
10:27 pm
May 23, 2012
Rich L, since we Jews don’t go in for bloodsports, it is quite cathartic to annoy somebody! and stick the darts in.
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phili
6:23 pm
Jun 16, 2012
Those who bless you I will bless – those who curse you I will curse.
The Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 12, Verse 3.
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Rodney
9:33 pm
Jun 16, 2012
Separating people, subjugating them to the will of the rulers without the protection of independent courts, forbidding all other religions bar your own, capital punishment for political crimes, denying marriage across religious or racial lines, punishment without due process, separate living areas, a controlled Press, no freedom of movement within the country: this is apartheid and is regularly and exactly practiced in all the countries surrounding Israel. Israel is a free state where these basic freedoms are available to all. Intransigence lies in the eye of the bigoted Yasmin and her proxies who seek the slaughter their own people and anyone else who does not agree with them.
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Ruth Ben-Or
9:49 pm
Jun 16, 2012
Rodney, you said it! where are the howls of anguish from Amnesty International etc., now?
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jeb stuart
5:04 pm
Sep 02, 2012
“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hosted OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin
Ihsanoglu in Washington, DC in mid-December 2011 to discuss how the
United States can implement the OIC agenda to criminalize criticism of
Islam. Cloaked in the sanctimonious language of “Resolution 16/18,”
that was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in April 2011, the WDC
three-day experts meeting is billed as a working session to discuss
legal mechanisms to combat religious discrimination (but the only
religion the Human Rights Council has ever mentioned in any previous
resolution is Islam). ” by snipe Posted December 11, 2011.
What else needs to be said? The accusations by Alibhai-Brown is misinformation.
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andrew o'shea
7:14 am
Sep 03, 2012
There seems to be a large number of ‘journalists’ who are being paid to write ‘libelous’ articles, free of persecution as long as they meet 2 main points, 1) write Israel as a ‘beast without a heart’, 2) pour out pity for a society of Arabs who only ‘want peace’. After a visit to Israel and meeting many people, I have learn’t that Israeli’s would love to live in a safe, friendly environment, there are some who see the need for violence as a means of defending. The Arabs who work in Israel also enjoy their lifestyle. On the other side. calls for ‘total destruction’ of Israel are many. No amount of land will bring peace when mohammed calls for all jews to die. Westerners are next…
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Ike Brajtman
4:36 pm
Sep 04, 2012
Pigs are happy eating garbage. It seems this journalist enjoys writing it.
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Ruth Ben-Or
4:54 pm
Sep 04, 2012
Sometimes a bad person becomes better, but ignorant is as ignorant does, unto the 1000th generation, AMEN!
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Mike Levy
3:18 pm
Sep 05, 2012
Yasmin Alibhai…………………Could she be the “Queen Flea” of the middle east?
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Ruth Ben-Or
11:42 pm
Sep 05, 2012
“Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite’em
And little fleas have littler fleas and so on ad infinitem!”
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Chaim Kessler
9:33 am
Sep 12, 2012
They have hated us for over 3,500 years. They have tried to eliminate us almost forever. Mighty Rome, Mighty Catholic church, Spain, Portugal, Crusaders, Cossacks, Nazis, Arabs. Even secularists from within. None have nor will they ever.
Most do not even exist in the form they were. If at all.
We are still here after all this time, our protector is invincible. His promise is true.
As long as we are true to Him He will remain true to us.
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Manchester PR
1:12 pm
Sep 18, 2012
thanks for this
In yesterday’s i (an offshoot of The Independent) Yasmin managed to get in the term “powerful Zionist censorship” when referring to Salman Rushdie and those that supported him.
Why Israel or Jews have anything to do with this I don’t know and the wider issue of the piece about this film that is causing unrest the Muslim world
To me the term smacks of anti-semitism
How a national printed it I don’t know
Rob
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Ruth Ben-Or
8:37 pm
Sep 18, 2012
I would be interested to know in what way “powerful Zionist censorship” played a role in enabling Salman Rushdie to be HEARD? Does this woman know the meaning of the word censorship?
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