Ardent Zionists v Enlightened Jews: An Assault on British Jewry
May 14, 2012 12:06 by Simon Plosker
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown has been critiqued regularly by HonestReporting over the years. The Independent columnist has a particularly vicious streak when it comes to Israel, which she routinely describes as a “racist” and “apartheid” state. Indeed, she has a propensity to view many issues through the framework of race.
In her latest op-ed, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown:
- Accuses Israel of charging its critics with anti-Semitism to shut down legitimate criticism.
- Fails to acknowledge that hunger striking Palestinian prisoners may have been detained for legitimate reasons, including terrorism.
- Portrays the majority of Israel-supporting British Jews as being “instructed to hate” Palestinians and lacking in integrity.
Read on to find out how you can take action.
In her latest polemic, Alibhai-Brown addresses the issue of Palestinian hunger strikers and administrative detention. To be sure, the topic is not a comfortable one and a healthy debate, as also occurs within Israel itself, is perfectly legitimate. But to Alibhai-Brown, referring to “hardline Israelis”:
Their country is protected from censure partly because of fears that any criticism of its actions is potentially “anti-Semitic”. Some anti-Semites do use Israel as a cover, but then Israel uses that fact to tar and warn all legitimate criticism. Its governments do what they damn-well want and claim perpetual exceptionality. Their darkest deeds are thus left unscrutinised.
We challenge Alibhai-Brown to furnish us with the evidence that Israel’s supporters use an “anti-Semitism card” to shut down all legitimate criticism. This is patently untrue and Alibhai-Brown’s charge is more commonly employed as a means to delegitimize the rights of Israel’s supporters to advocate for or defend Israel from criticism. As for the claim that Israel is beyond scrutiny, the amount of stories published on the Palestinian hunger strikers alone, not to mention the constant focus of the media and world on this part of the world, make this claim laughable.
If Alibhai-Brown were interested in a proper and balanced debate on the issue, perhaps she would have cared to mention the fact that those hunger strikers in her op-ed are members of Islamic Jihad, a vicious terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews. But no. To Alibhai-Brown:
The detained Palestinians are embarked on peaceful, Gandhian protest action.
Referring to Palestinian prisoners, Alibhai-Brown states:
To be a Palestinian, to want equality, rights, freedom and land is not a crime. Except that for hardline Israelis, it is.
Palestinian prisoners are not detained for seeking peace. Israel is not a sinister police state that arrests Palestinians for expressing legitimate aspirations. Israel takes appropriate action against those who carry out, advocate or incite terrorism or violence. Islamic Jihad is not an organization with legitimate political aspirations – its sole raison d’etre is to carry out acts of terror.
Alibhai-Brown is fond of noting that she has many Jewish friends, although these friends are invariably critical of Israel. Indeed, Alibhai-Brown likes to differentiate between “good Jews” and “bad Jews”:
The moralistic Chief Rabbi will not be on “Thought for the Day” expressing sorrow for the treatment of these prisoners. Ardent British Zionists will not be pressed to condemn those responsible for the state barbarism.
Who exactly are these “ardent British Zionists”?
Janet Clifford
3:17 pm
May 14, 2012
Why should “The moralistic Chief Rabbi” be expected to comment publicly on the hunger strikers in Israeli jails, the implication being that as a British Jew he should?
Why shouldn’t the British Islamic Chief be expected to comment publicly on the terrorist atrocities committed by those hunger strikers and the bloodstained reasons that they were put in jail in the first place?
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steve mann
3:38 pm
May 14, 2012
This is the Muslim lady who gets to appear regularly on the BBC.
And the latest words from Mark Thompson of the BBC were-
We treat Islamic subjects with a kid glove- My interpretation of his words.
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Salim Varese
3:48 pm
May 14, 2012
Make her apologize.
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Joan Levin
3:58 pm
May 14, 2012
The first thing that should be debunked about this columnist is the idea that she is “independent.” that’s a joke isn’t it? Everything must be seen through her bigoted lens, not the one she would have us believein, independence.
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Henry Federman
4:00 pm
May 14, 2012
How can an Arab be fair to Israel It’s like asking a nazi what he thinks about Jews!
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HRH264
4:02 pm
May 14, 2012
If you would like to see an apartheid state try any muslim dominated society. My best friend is a Coptic Christian who lived most of his life in Egypt. You do not want to be there, unless you are muslim (even then?). That is true apartheid.
As for racism, etc. Why is the quest for Jewish self-determination always denied? Hmmmmm….
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BUTSeriously
4:05 pm
May 14, 2012
Ain’t she right too! The totally Pro-Israel Nazis w/British accents corrupted the Balfour when the Jews were totally helpless and carved off 80% as a – AHEM! – 2-state ‘COMPROMISE’ . Because the Muslims were in desperate need of 12 cubits of barren swamp and desert land. But only after creating 22 Islamic states which never existed 100 years ago. Then the Pro-Israel Brits handed Israel the benefit of the WHITE PAPER – forbidding those Jews fleeing good ol Europe from even the 20% left overs – and sending them land robbing Jews back to the camps where they belong – the camps the Muslims deny every happened. But wait, there’s even more Pro-Israel gifts from the Right. Hon. Brits.
Another state was demanded in the same landmass, but its still accounted as a 2-state. This was all topped with the greatest gift of all. Inventing Pretend Pals. Because Israel is apartheiding and robbing guess whose lands. Not the ones in the Balfour which called for ONE ONLY JEWISH STATE IN PALESTINE. Guess why the neo Palestinians are not mentioned in that document and instead referred to as ARABS. Can it be because only the Jews were referred to by this name exclusively for 2000 years? I wonder!
Now that we have shown this lady is not a tramp but correct in all she says, I wonder what her view is of a 2-state in Egypt. One for the apartheided Copts who just happen to be also the original inhabitants of Egypt?Or is that forbidden:
“NO OTHER RELIGION SHALL PREVAIL IN ARABIA” [Mo; Quran].
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Brian Murphy
4:09 pm
May 14, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Erika
4:12 pm
May 14, 2012
The brains of people like Alibhai-Brown are screwed up already – how can we expect them to be reasonable?? She should acknowledge that it is NOT a crime to be Jewish and alive in the middle east at the same time! But I guess that’s her problem. And second – it is NOT a crime to try to persuade “palestinians” to not kill Jews. Ooooohh – but that must sound kind of weird to her – why should anyone be prohibited from killing Jews???
Fact is that the reason for the necessity of a palestinian state is the existence of Jews in the middle east who have returned to their home – and Jews are not meant to be alive in the middle east – after the version of Alibhai-Brown.
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Lynette
4:14 pm
May 14, 2012
People are not born to hate -they are taught to hate. People must respond to hateful comments because they spread like wildflower and “turning the other cheek” should never be an option. It is easy to write a short email to a newspaper as you are not confronting the person who is spewing hatred out directly. Our numbers are fewer so it is vital that everyone takes a moment to do this. It is more effective if you can post a letter to the editor and send it recorded so that he knows it’s important. Keep the letter short and only cover one or two important points. Quite often less is more..
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jacob
4:17 pm
May 14, 2012
Somebody once said he who is made out of sugar, ends up eaten by the ants…
It serves right the Israeli “leadership”, because this scum should be on chain gangs building
roads by hand in the Negev instead of having three glatt kosher meals a day, honing their
murdering abilities, studying university careers, having cellphones, receiving visits and now
of course, engaging in hunger strikes while waiting for a new exchange of cutthroats for
skeletons, ADVANTAGES WHICH SHALIT DID NOT ENJOY IN HIS FIVE YEARS OF HAMAS “HOSPITALITY”…..
Dare her to prove any of her statements and watch what is she going to do, as all
Muslims do when cornered in a discussion…
Anywhere else in the world, this woman would have been tarred and feathered but….
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Aviva Sucher
4:17 pm
May 14, 2012
My Dear Ms. Brown,
It appears to anyone that reads your diatribe against Israel, that you speak with a forked tongue.
The double standard you speak with is transparent, you seem to miss that Israel’s Arab population is over 20%, Most of the Arabs living in East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, were offered Israeli citizenship, but refused, not wanting to recognize Israeli sovereignty. They became permanent residents.They receive municipal services and have municipal voting rights. Those that are citizens are able to vote.
My Dear Ms. Brown, what other Arab nation can say this about themselves? All other Arab Nations, with rare, if any exception, do not even tolerate other Arab ethnic tribes outside of the country’s leading powers. If you want to see Apartheid in daily living, look no further than Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan… well the list is long with Arab Nations.
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Frank Adam
4:18 pm
May 14, 2012
YAB is indulging the (deliberate?) confusion of the Palestine Arabs of the PA territories with those of Israel.
Arabs of Israel have citizens privileges and those of the PA do NOT have ISRAELI citizens’ privileges because everybody starting with themselves agrees they are not Israelis but in the PA which like all other Arab countries is an incompetent so vicious Whig oligarchy of fingers in the till thugs.
The real question only inferred is why can the PA Arabs not enjoy being in a Western state of the Enlightenmment and the answer is simply they are not in such an entity and not in Israel even if under Israel because they will not sign a treaty with Israel. The elephant in the PA room is their own Arab bloody minded refusal to recognise Israel’s right to be self determinedly Jewish. When the Arabs – all of them recognise Israel’s right to be herself as she wishes they will find Israel only too glad to dump them – but then do not expect Israel to be their permanent economic lifeguard.
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Lydia
4:25 pm
May 14, 2012
I very clearly remember a comment Ms. Alibhai-Brown made in public; so far as I remember it was on a TV show called “Question Time”.
Someone raised the problem of how in our free society people feel they cannot express their views (I rather think that the questioner was talking specifically about issues surrounding Islam) without being accused of racism. Alibhai-Brown responded that yes, this is a free society and people can *think* what they want but they must never be allowed to say these thoughts out loud.
That was her idea of a free society, God help us.
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Msika
4:26 pm
May 14, 2012
Among numerous other calumnies and falsities, Ms. Alibhai-Brown claims that British Jews are “instructed to hate” palestinians.
However, there is no teaching of hatred in the Jewish culture. Jews are positive people and that’s why they invent, create and built a prosperous state where minorities enjoy much more freedom and safety than they do in neighboring arabic states.
So where is the hatred? Muslim children are instructed to hate Jews, and to blow themselves up and become “martyrs” so as to kill Jews, and this negative approach to life renders them powerless and helpless. This unfortunate and perverse education reflects in the sorry state of the many muslim states: violence, corruption, unemployment, ignorance, misery, etc…all the way from Morocco to Pakistan, from Turkey to Sudan…
Muslims are the first victims of the hatred they carry: this is self destruction!
Ms. Alibhai-Brown is herself blinded by the crazy hatred she nurtures against Israel!
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Rodney
4:28 pm
May 14, 2012
The criminal justice system in Israel, and nowhere else in the 22 surrounding Middle East countries, is a mirror image of that of Great Britain, with the exception that today the existential threat to Israelis from terrorism is much more evident than the IRA threat to mainland Britain some years back, when the Independent could justifiably have criticized the UK justice system for its treatment of terrorists, among whom there were hunger strikers. There comes a time when turning the other cheek is neither an answer nor an option. If the imprisoned terrorists wish to damage their health by self inflicted starvation they should be allowed to do so. On this point the Israeli prison authorities should stand firm.
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Kibbitzer
4:44 pm
May 14, 2012
Y.A.B. says “Israel is its own worst enemy”, well the competition for this coveted spot is pretty intense and not least from the alleged journalist herself.
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allen Silver
4:49 pm
May 14, 2012
Her every word spews hatred, it is as if she is consumed by it,eating sleeping,
breathing it, condemned by her stupidity based on ignorance and fantasy.
Not an original thought in her head lacking total regard for historical facts.
Quoted as having been referred to as a damaging disgrace to Muslims and journalists alike.
Her column referred to as reckless stupidity and flame-fanning appallingness. How sad.
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Nigel
5:21 pm
May 14, 2012
The British Jewish community on the whole seems to have a love-hate perspective on Israel. Recent studies even indicate that young British Jews are increasingly detached from Israel – likely due to the British media’s constant assault on Israel and the allegations of split loyalties.
The so-called “moralistic Chief Rabbi” is on record advocating for Israel to withdraw to the 1949 Armistice Lines. Such a position certainly does not meet my definition of a Zionist, let alone an ardent one.
So-called “Enlightenment Jews” are largely self-haters, who behave without integrity with double-standards and empathy for those that are instructed to hate them and wish them dead, just like overt anti-Semites like Alibhai-Brown.
Britain’s so-called “enlightened Jews” also include all those British people of Jewish descent that crawl out of the closet every now and then to claim an ethnicity they don’t otherwise acknowledge in order to suggest that good ‘Jews’ like them oppose whatever Israel does.
According to Alibhai-Brown, her self-hating ‘Jewish’ friends and similar ‘good Jews’, the only good Jew is one that has abandoned Judaism, has or is willing to become totally assimilated and put their names down for removal from the roll of the Jewish people, welcoming the quiet Holocaust.
Alibhai-Brown makes it abundantly clear that for her and those ‘good Jews’ she claims agree with her, the only good Jew is a dead (or dying) Jew, and the only good Israeli, if there is such a person, is a member of the invented people only recently claiming the Palestinian identity, just like everything else Jewish they have invented claims to.
Alibhai-Brown is an ardent racist Jew-hater, and lame claims to having Jewish friends in no way disproves or even mitigates her racism, her extreme antisemitism, and her racist agenda. If I had a pound for every Jew-hating Israel-basher claiming Jewish friends as their defence, I’d be a multi-millionaire, if not a multi-billionaire.
Sadly, Alibhai-Brown is either completely ignorant of her ‘specialist subject’ or is unable to transcend her instructions to hate. She would be better to devote her time to the Saudi agenda, the Saudi curriculum of hate in British Islamic schools, the Saudi infiltration of the British government, and the fifth-column that is a significant number of British Muslims. But I suspect she, as with many others like her, devote their time to Israel-bashing in order to constantly divert attentions away from where the world’s, and Britain’s, real problems lie.
Of course, I would also welcome some articles exposing Britain’s ‘court Jews’ and the abandonment of Orthodox Judaism’s tenets not only by many self-described Orthodox Jews but also by the current Chief Rabbi. I would applaud any journalist who called for Jews to act with integrity, in accordance with Judaism’s daily prayers, to ‘remember’ Jerusalem, and to oppose all Jew-hatred.
It is also necessary to dispel the myth that any of the nations, peoples, or current societies as a whole, are in any way enlightened, least of all because of the so-called Enlightenment.
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Frank Adam
5:26 pm
May 14, 2012
Evidently YAB gabbily forgot people judge others by themselves including HERS truly.
YAB would also do well to remember the priggish remark of one of her fellow polo ponies of the camel corps fraternity – sorry sorority- “Show me whom you hate and I will show you whom you need!”
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