27 MAY 2021
LETTERS 19
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Letters to the Editor 18 OPINION
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OPINION
21 MAY 2021
The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper
Extremism and antisemitism must be drowned out OPINION PIECE BY LORD ERIC PICKLES
I watched in horror this week as protests over the recent Israel-Gaza violence descended into a UK-wide hatefest, with Jewish people targeted in the streets and mezuzot desecrated. It is truly appalling that Jews in this country feared for their safety as they celebrated Shavuot. The Jew-hating, women-despising thugs who threatened murder and sexual violence on our streets brought great shame to our nation. It was a source of personal sadness that many of the car convoys came from my native city of Bradford, a city with a proud record of cross-communal cooperation. It didn’t take long for the thin veneer between anti-Zionism and antisemitism to be exposed. At a rally in London where speakers included former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, banners with antisemitic slogans invoking the Holocaust were freely flown. In sight of the platform where Mr Corbyn spoke, the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Bin Zayed, was
depicted as a devil with horns for making peace with Israel. The antisemitic imagery applied to the caricature was unmistakeable. As the Home Secretary and Communities Secretary have said, the toughest possible action should be taken against those responsible for antisemitic behaviour. One-sided content blaming Israel for the suffering of the Palestinian people has proliferated online; no doubt emboldening antisemites to take to the streets. Yet the unavoidable fact is that Hamas is responsible for all casualties in this conflict. By using civilians as human shields and misfiring rockets, it is clear that Hamas places its genocidal aim of destroying Israel above the protection of Palestinian life. Of over 4,000 rockets fired towards Israel
from Gaza, approximately 610 have fallen short and killed Palestinians. While Hamas militants can escape to the underground ‘Metro’ tunnel network, Gazan civilians have nowhere to hide. There can be no moral equivalence between Hamas’s actions, which target civilians, and Israel’s precise targeting of Hamas facilities and extensive efforts to avoid civilian casualties. As my good friend Lord Polak rightly said in the House of Lords this week, the shocking and disturbing scenes of recent days do not represent the views of the vast majority of Muslims living in the UK, nor do the murderous acts of Hamas, indiscriminately firing deadly rockets at civilian areas in Israel, represent the views or interests of the majority of the Palestinian people.
We simply cannot allow these moderate voices to be drowned out by extremists. I was deeply heartened to hear that Ashdod hospital’s Arab doctors and nurses took on extra shifts to enable their Jewish colleagues to take time off for Shavuot, just as Jewish medical staff did last week to ensure the Arab workforce could spend Eid with their families. The importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and community cohesion cannot be understated, both in Israel and closer to home. Our overseas aid must support efforts bringing Israelis and Palestinians together, and measures combining strict policing and strong social cohesion are vital in removing fear from our streets and protecting our Jewish community..
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Please note: The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper. Letters may be edited and publication is at the discretion of the editor. The importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and community cohesion cannot be understated, both in Israel and closer to home.
ANTISEMISITM AND THE PROLBEM
Lord Pickles was appointed Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues in September 2015, replacing Sir Andrew Burns. Lord Pickles works closely with the wide range of Holocaust academics, survivors and educational and social organisations in the UK. He CoChairs the United Kingdom’s Holocaust Memorial Foundation. He was made a Life Peer in 2018.
From the editor’s desk Dear Editor Knock on effect I refer to the excellent of Israel at war content of, “From the editor’s desk,” in last week’s edition (THE JEWISH WEEKLY, 21 May) and in particular Yossi Saunders’ comment under the heading, “Football disgrace,” in Football disgrace which the last sentence read, “When it comes to racism, it really is time once and for all for football to kick it out.” Regarding the problem of such ubiquitous anti-Semitism as well as all manifestations of racism - not just in football, but every facet of our society today, the powers that be as well as the movers and shakers, need to, “stop kicking these problems into the long grass as it is about time that they mowed the lawn.” This week we have seen shocking violence against Jews here in the UK as well as around the world. Antisemitism made national headlines this week when some terrorist supporters from Bradford drove down to London via Manchester causing distress and panic with their actions. TV and media showed the awful footage where they called on people to do unspeakable things to Jewish mothers and daughters. In Chigwell, Rabbi Rafi Goodwin was badly beaten up and hospitalised. In Hendon, a woman in her car was rammed by Palestinian activists in a petrifying incident on Parson Street. The same such incident happened in Manchester to a car on Upper Park Road, where Palestinian sympathisers tried to smash the windows. Mezuzot were ripped off doors in Borehamwood and a middle eastern-looking man came up up to me on the streets of central London yesterday and asked menacingly, if I was Jewish. In another indident saw six men jumped out of a car brandishing a gun at a Jew in Manchester last night. Around the world too, horrific images and videos have surfaced. A Jewish man in Lod died this week, after succumbing
Palestinian flags. to injuries when an Arab Showing solidarity in the mob set upon him. A man midst of a war is redoubtin Toronto is seen being ably taking sides and is beaten up by an angry no different to previous crowd, and in LA, a crowd players and managers who asked some Jews at a have been fined for their restaurant who was Jewish. actions, such as Pep GuarTwo people said they were diola who was charged for and were promptly beaten wearing a yellow ribbon in up. solidarity with the Catalan When tens of thousands independence movement. of people pack London The FA responded to shouting “Free Free Palesletters this week telling us tine”, with a police officer PHOTO: LAWRENCE PURCELL. Pro Palestinians in Piccadilly Gardens Manchester that a player wearing an joining in, as Israeli flags internationally recognised are burned and vicious flag is not an issue. threats are screamed from atop traffic lights communal bodies to stand up more than If it was their national flag, they could and statues, one wonders how long it will ever before publicly and come out with corhave an answer, but Manchester Utd’s Paul take for Britain to turn into France and rect information about what really goes on become a dangerous place for Jews to live. in the Middle East. It worked with Corbyn at Pogba is from France, not from Gaza. For Shopping Centres in Manchester also had the election, why have they gone so publicly all Pogba’s self-importance, he has not just won the league and had gornisht to crowds of angry protesters screaming about quiet now? See page 27 for this Sunday’s celebrate at the end of the Fulham game, Gaza, as they walked menacingly through Israel Rally, led by the Zionist Federation. like a pack of wolves. Perhaps the rally can also go to the BBC and so draping the Palestinian flag around Thanks to a weak government who allow Sky News headquarters, as well as the Israeli him is clearly a political stance, as well as a swipe at his Jewish owners. The actions these dangerous rallies to go ahead, and Embassy. of these players and the silence of the FA who allow incorrect, and biased media to will no doubt lead to more people getting egg on Jew haters with their vicious attacks angry on behalf of the Palestinians and on Jews, it is no wonder Palestinian and making our streets even more dangerous terrorist sympathisers feel energised to Jewish football fans were horrified this for British Jewry. When it comes to racism, whip up crowds into a frenzy. Jews are week to see famous players from Manches- it really is time one and for all for football now scared to go about normal day to day to kick it out. activities, and perhaps it’s time for our great ter United and Leicester City draped in
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