Peering into the post-election puddle

JVL Introduction

Despite Labour’s thumping 176-seat majority it was voted for by just 19% of eligible voters. Its support, says Aaron B. Grant writing for the Pickle, is “as deep as a puddle”.

Even so, Britain’s pro-Israel Jewish establishment is worried.

Daniel Finkelstein has voiced these fears: with Palestine a major left cause, Labour will have to be constantly guarding its flank; and with the ousting of the Tories the simple, unalloyed, gung-ho pro-Israel sentiment of recent Tory governments can no longer be taken for granted.

So when David Lammy, as shadow minister for Foreign Affairs, in response to the ICJ prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, said “Democracies who believe in the rule of law must submit themselves to it”, it “sparked outrage” according to the Jewish Chronicle.

So too Starmer’s appointment of Richard Hermer, a human rights lawyer and member of Alyth Gardens reform synagogue, as Attorney General provoked anger among those pro-Israel supports who had become used to getting their way under the Tories.

Jews on the left cannot be satisfied with witnessing the discomfit of right-wing Zionists (pleasurable though that is!). The possible return to a tepid liberal Zionist approach which is all Labour has signalled to date, must not be allowed to claim legitimacy: there is simply no possible return to the pre-Netanyahu, pre-October 7th status quo.

So, while welcoming the fracturing of the Zionist community, and nudging it along where possible, genuine solidarity with the Palestinians has to be our watchword.

RK

This article was originally published by The Pickle on Fri 12 Jul 2024. Read the original here.