Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
When Israel comes up in conversation, discussion often focusses on assertions made by supporters of Israel. Here, Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) members examine ten of the most common of these, to help find a way through the half-truths, fudges and twisted logic to a clearer view of the issues involved.
We offer to each a brief response and then a more detailed one, adding links to materials for those seeking further information. They are offered as guides as how best to think about these issues.
They do not claim to provide comprehensive coverage of a complex and dynamic situation. For that we recommend regular viewing of our JVL website for news, analysis, educational resources and details of our regular online webinars.
Topics
1. Doesn’t Israel have the right to defend itself?
2. Is it antisemitic to call Israel an apartheid state?
3. Isn’t singling out Israel antisemitic?
4. Isn’t Anti-Zionism antisemitic?
5. Is BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) antisemitic?
6. Does Israel control US foreign policy?
7. Isn’t Hamas simply a terrorist, antisemitic organisation?
8. Isn’t “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” a call for the elimination of the Jews?
9. Doesn’t the Palestinian right of return mean the death of Israel?
10. Isn’t comparing Israel to the Nazis antisemitic?
JVL Webinars
You can find our latest member seminars now on the JVL Education page:
- In conversation with Ilan Pappé
- Labour and the rise of the right: Islamophobia, Racism and Fascism in the context of Genocide in Gaza
I think this is a valuable source of reference, that could be used a lot by people trying to defeat the twistic thinking of Zionists and Israel-apologists
I think it is helpful to imagine if Britain had been occupied by Palestinians since 1948 and 85 percent of British people had been expelled from their own country and currently live in refugee camps in Ireland and France. Those British people allowed to remain are treated as second class citizens in their own country. In many situations they must speak Arabic and not English.
Would we accept a secular British state in which Palestinians and British could live together in equality ? I’m pretty sure the answer is no. I think the vast majority of British people would demand that the Palestinian invaders went back to Palestine, every single one.
So my question is this “what right do we have to demand that Palestinians make concessions that British people would never ever make.”
Bless you