Opinion

Time for another demo?

OPINION PIECE BY ROBERT FESTENSTEIN

On the 26 March 2018 one of the major Jewish communal organisations held a demonstration outside Parliament against the anti-Semitism in Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party. The reports around the world talked of over two thousand people protesting in an unprecedented way against the Jew-hate which was flourishing in the Labour Party. I remember at the time being disappointed at not being able to attend. Not because of work, but because those who organised it were unable to think beyond the M25. A few hours notice was certainly good enough for those living in Hendon or Golders Green but not those outside London. I was never able to understand why another 24 hours notice was not given to those keen to attend.

What I was also not able to understand was why there wasn’t a follow up demonstration. The Jew-hate in the Labour Party only got worse, and it wasn’t until December of the following year – almost 2 years later - that Labour lost the general election so badly, partly due to their attitude towards the Jews. The latest conflict in Israel saw a massive spike in anti-Semitism and despite the usual comments made by the communal leaders, there has been no demonstration or formal campaign calling for action.

It is well documented that the attacks on Jews in social media are not only rising, but are largely unchecked by those in control of these platforms. A recent survey has found that social media companies have failed to take action—by either removing posts or closing accounts—in 84 per cent of cases. It is also well known that social media attacks where other minorities are targeted are subject to much greater scrutiny and attention. In other words, the Jews don’t matter as much.

This much I can understand. What I cannot understand is why, by and large, we – by which I mean the communal leaders – are doing so little about this. Those organisations with an informal structure such as the Campaign Against Antisemitism and the various Friends of Israel groups around the UK have no problem in standing up to the increase in online abuse. Yet those with a more formal structure content themselves by issuing the odd press release and statements expressing concern. It is as if for these groups that fighting Jew-hate is not such a high priority.

We need to be more robust about the attacks on our community, yet despite the increase in social media hate crimes and the increasing lies told about Israel there is no visible sign of any push back, other than the informal groups already mentioned. Perhaps that is the way forward. Allow the larger organisations to talk amongst themselves and let the real work be undertaken by smaller groups whose commitment and determination is clear and certain. It is not ideal, since as a community we have always achieved more when working co-operatively, though as matters stand that is just a goal to aim towards.

Whoever takes up the baton in the necessary fight against the rising anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity should now give some thought to a more proactive high profile approach so that the wider society knows that the Jews in the UK will not take the attacks on their community lying down.A recent survey has found that social media companies have failed to take action—by either removing posts or closing accounts—in 84 per cent of cases.

When so much antisemitism occurs, and when it is so mixed up with extreme hatred of Israel, it is clear that Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred become much the same thing in the minds of the perpetrators.

Robert Festenstein is a practising solicitor and has been the principal of his Salford based firm for over 20 years. He has fought BDS motions to the Court of Appeal and is President of the Zionist Central Council in Manchester which serves to protect and defend the democratic State of Israel.

CST six-monthly antisemitic incidents report

OPINION PIECE BY YONI GORDON-TELLER

CST’s latest report shows a record number of anti-Jewish hate incidents in first six months of this year: 1,308 antisemitic incidents recorded between January and June 2021, almost half of which happened just in the month of May. The spike in antisemitism reported that resulted from reactions to the escalation of violence in the Middle East is a significant reason for the 49% rise in incidents compared to the first six months of 2020.

More than half of these 1,308 reports referenced the recent conflict in Israel and Gaza, demonstrated anti-Zionist motivation, or a combination of the two, alongside antisemitism. When so much antisemitism occurs, and when it is so mixed up with extreme hatred of Israel, it is clear that Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred become much the same thing in the minds of the perpetrators. They direct their anger randomly, but also in a way that is deliberately targeted at Jews. Their abuse is directed at Jews they know, Jews they don’t, orthodox Jews, secular Jews, Jewish children, adults, organisations, schools, synagogues: there is no single victim profile, and no single avenue for the expression of anti-Jewish sentiment.

Antisemitism can be intellectualised, its meaning and definitions debated at length. But when levels of antisemitism rise to such an extent, when ordinary Jewish people and institutions face such a considerable backlash, academic debates over whether something crosses a supposed line between hatred of Israel and hatred of Jews ceases to have any practical meaning.

In this context, antisemitism is ultimately defined by the lived experiences of its victims. They are the ones who call CST, scared to go into their workplace for fear that comments of “Free Palestine” will continue to be directed at them, just because they are Jewish; worried that they cannot escape their next-door neighbour’s sustained campaign of harassment; nervous to freely express their identity in light of abusive, threatening shouts from a car convoy.

CST supports them, reassures them and protects them: that is why we are here. However, support, reassurance and protection are collective, societal responsibilities: they are far more meaningful and effective when the effort is united. Where culprits of antisemitic hate crime are identified, arrests must be made and prosecutions delivered. Where antisemitic threats and abuse are written online, social media platforms must take stronger action that aligns with their professed – if limited – commitment to tackling hate. Where Jewish people share their experiences of antisemitism, everyone who truly wants to build a fair, inclusive, anti-racist society must stand in solidarity.

CST urges all readers to be vigilant, to report antisemitism to CST and police, and to support all of our communal efforts against the danger.

Visit www.cst.org.uk. In an emergency, call the police and then call our 24-hour emergency number, 0800 032 3263.

It’s now an official maritime war

OPINION PIECE BY JAMES J MARLOW

According to Reserve Major General Amos Yadlin, former executive director of the institute for national security studies and former head of IDF military intelligence, Iran recognises it made a mistake when it attacked the commercial “Mercer Street” petroleum tanker last Thursday.

Tehran have no problem killing Israelis, but the deadly drone attack in the Gulf, murdered two crew members from Britain and Romania.

Intelligence gathered by Britain, United States and Israel all point to Iran being directly responsible, which prompted Boris Johnson to describe the attack as “outrageous”.

The Romanian foreign minister also said that Bucharest would work with international partners on an appropriate response.

Here is the “thing”. The Mercer Street tanker is Japanese owned, with a Liberian flag, operated by a British company, but managed by an Israeli owned Zodiac

It is true there has been many actions and reactions between Iran and Israel but until now, all maritime attacks were without fatalities.

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Defence Minister Benny Gantz made all the usual “hard-hitting” threats in the Knesset plenum like “Israel must act against the growing Iranian aggression in the region” and “The Mercer Ship attack is a clear violation of international law.”

But why does Israel have to retaliate? Israel was not attacked. It was Britain and Romania who bore the brunt of the two Iranian drones, which slammed into the vessel off the coast of Oman.

Drones can fly for more than 1500 kilometres and we now know they were launched from either an Iranian vessel or from Iran itself.

It was relatively easy for British, American and Israeli intelligence to ascertain that this was an Iranian attack on a civilian, not military target and Israel should take advantage of the Iranian miscalculation and pursue strong diplomatic, not military steps.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote in a letter to Security Council President T. S. Tirumurti of India, “The Security Council should not sit idly by in the face of such violations by Iran or by the terrorist organizations throughout the region that serve as its proxies.”

Iran strives for nuclear capabilities and is sparking a dangerous arms race. It sows instability through its terrorist militias in Iran, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and with hundreds of UAV’s, is a major threat to Israel.

The attack on the Mercer Street should be another opportunity for the international community to call out the role that Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) play in destabilising the Middle East.

And all this is happening even before the new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, known as the hang-man and butcher for sentencing thousands of “dissidents” to death, has even taken office.

Reserve Major General Amos Yadlin called last week’s attack, an “ongoing shadow war” between Iran and Israel. “We don’t know if this attack or that attack is an initiative or a response” he said. “A retaliation – TIC for TAC or TAC for TIC” is how Yadlin described the event at a briefing this week.

It is true there has been many actions and reactions between Iran and Israel but until now, all maritime attacks were without fatalities. This latest move is a game changer, in an all dimensional maritime war that consists of missiles, drones and cyber-warfare. It has been ongoing for several years and is increasing throughout the Middle East.

Tehran realises that the attack was a mistake and they are now denying their involvement. They are also likely to downgrade their “overseas activities” as they seek to re-enter the JCPOA agreement.

But what will not help Iran is Britain’s military “United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations” warning of a “potential hijack” on Tuesday night. According to Reuters who quoted two security maritime sources, Iranian-backed forces were believed to have seized a Panama-flagged asphalt tanker, Asphalt Princess.

Earlier in the day, at least six ships off the coast of the UAE announced around the same time, through their Automatic Identification System trackers, that they had lost control of their steering and all power.

Again Iran was quick to deny any involvement. The British navy confirmed on Wednesday that the hijackers who boarded the vessel had left the ship on Wednesday morning, without elaborating.

My assessment is the Iranian Supreme Leader ordered the militia to stand down as Tehran were unaware their Shia backed militia group would take such drastic action after last week’s drone attack.

But despite all of this, America and Britain are still hopeful that Iran will “be reasonable” and negotiate a JCPOA agreement.

As far as the west are concerned, Iranian nuclear ambitions, entrenchment in Syria, the transfer of weapons and ballistic missiles, the collapse of the Lebanese state and maritime wars are further down the list of priorities. Let’s just get Iran back in the fold again and we can take it from there. Well good luck with that policy is what I say.

James J. Marlow is a broadcast journalist previously working for ITN, EuroNews, LBC Radio, Daily Express and a number of Jewish publications. In addition, he runs a Media and Communications / Public Speaking Training Operation and was a consultant at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. Email: James@TheCommunicationBureau.com