Premonition

OPINION PIECE

BY ROBERT FESTENSTEIN

Diane Abbott. Two words which never fail to raise the temperature. Her letter to The Observer last week in which she downplayed the experience of Jews in relation to anti-Semitism. The fact that the Labour whip has been withdrawn is encouraging but this to some extent covers up a darker problem which, if Labour is returned to power may make our lives very much more difficult.

When Jeremy Corbyn was leader we knew exactly what we were dealing with. The Labour Party was led by someone who claimed the party was not antisemitic and by his inaction encouraged all those who sought to drive Jews from the party. With him gone, many people both inside and outside the party have wedded themselves to the idea that the anti-Semites have either left or been neutralised.

Sadly this is absolutely not the case.

Diane Abbott is not a lone voice in claiming that because Jews are white they are not victims of racism. The view of her and her hard left friends is that because Jews are middle class, white and relatively prosperous, they cannot possibly be victims of racism. This is significant in the context of Labour Party policy on Israel/Palestine.

If Labour is returned to power it is very likely they will recognise Palestine as a state. I am sure that in doing so they will believe they are being even-handed in their approach to what they describe as ‘both sides’. This is of course nonsense. Leaders in the Palestinian Authority and Gaza have been open in their desire to drive all Jews out of Israel or alternatively, just kill them. It is sickening that despite their clearly stated aims that the Western powers continue to apply an equivalence between them and Israel. The reality is that the Palestinian leaders want to kill the Jews and the Jews don’t want to be killed. No real equivalence there.

So how does this make life more difficult for us? Simple. By recognising the entity which seeks to kill us, it will encourage Diane Abbott’s friends to increase their attacks on Israel and condemn all of those who point out the murderous policies of the Palestinian leadership as being opposed to peace. There will be far less condemnation of terrorist attacks and those who support Israel in the UK will become increasingly isolated.

Those antisemites still in the Labour party will be able to scream about Israel with impunity because of the new policy. Whereas now the magic words to gain admittance to the progressive parties is ‘two state solution’, under a Labour regime which has promoted Palestine to a ‘state’ these magic words will not be enough. More likely anyone supporting Israel will be required to agree to withdrawal to pre-67 ceasefire lines or perhaps an acknowledgment that the lack of peace is down to Israel. The IHRA definition notwithstanding on these demands, I believe that life will be more difficult for us under a Labour Government. For once, I hope I am wrong.

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.

With Harold Schogger

Dealer: South Vuln: N/S

1. Michaels, at least five hearts and five cards in an unspecified minor.

2. Good spade raise by bidding the opponent’s known suit.

This board occurred in a team match where North/South were in need of a swing. Accordingly, North punted the grand slam when South showed a first-round heart control by bidding five hearts.

West led the six of trumps. Declarer took this with the jack and drew the remaining trump with a spade to dummy’s ace. Next he cashed the ace of diamonds followed by the ace and king of clubs, throwing the queen and nine of hearts from hand. A club ruff confirmed that West had started with 1:5:5:2 shape. So, declarer led the queen of diamonds. West covered this with the king, which cheered up declarer, because otherwise he would have been in the rather nervous position of having to discard a club or a heart. Declarer ruffed in dummy, ruffed a club back to hand and led a confident nine of diamonds. West covered with the ten and this was ruffed in dummy. After a second club ruff to get back to hand declarer led the eight of diamonds. West covered this with the jack and, after trumping this in dummy, declarer claimed his contract: he made five trumps, one heart, two diamonds (after a lot of persistent hard work) , three diamond ruffs and two clubs to bring home his Grand Slam.