By Leah Levane
To address antisemitism requires not only to end the conflation of Jews with Israel and the actions of the Israeli State but also to work across communities not only for better understanding but to stand together against the rising racism and division being fostered in Britain by the likes of Reform and, to its shame, this “Labour” government. Understanding how the media is part of the problem rather than the solution is necessary as we move forward.
By Mike Cushman
Defence of the use of the slogan ‘Globalise the Intifada’ have largely rested on correct but narrow reminders of the literal meaning of Intifada as ‘shaking off’. This ignores the far more pernicious rewriting of history that demonisation of the slogan rests on.
The Palestinian Intifadas are constantly represented solely as outbreaks of irrational Palestinian terrorism. It is true that, particularly in the second intifada there were acts of Palestinian violence but concentrating solely on these forgets there were two, quite different Intifadas and, more importantly Israeli violence and killing far exceeded that of Palestinians.
By Leah Levane
Some prosecutors and judges still share a fear. A fear of the jury’s ability to be compassionate, to question the motives and integrity of the state, and to act as a barrier to the outcomes they want to achieve – namely to convict defendants.
Israel’s reputation is in free fall and it is spending on a lavish scale in order to shore up the rotting structure.
According to the Pew Center, in a stunning reversal of fortunes, 60% of Americans now view Israel unfavourably, vs 37% favourably.
Canute-like, Israel is spending three quarters of a billion dollars a year trying to stem the tide.
By Leah Levane
Vashti Media is publishing a series of articles about the Greens and “You would be forgiven for expecting the media to be discouraged from weaponising antisemitism against Polanski, given he is Jewish. Yet the Telegraph has published on average two articles a week since February just on attacking Polanski for his views on Israel and accusing the party of antisemitism, ramping up to an average of one a day in the last week.”
By Leah Levane
Israel – with the full support of the US and the suspected connivance of the Greek government – has seized 180 foreign nationals from international waters, smashed aid and boats, beaten and mistreated them, kidnapped two of their number to subject them to torture 1,000 kilometres away and threatens to do the same to remaining ships that are gathering elsewhere. An already genocidal and apartheid state domestically and in the Middle East is now extending its war crimes further and further westwards to encompass an area where someone you know has probably taken a tourist ferry.
It is often argued that Israel can’t be an apartheid society because Palestinian Israelis have the vote.
And so they do. But that doesn’t make the other discriminations they face less oppressive and undermining of their capacity to organise effectively in Israeli society.
B’Tselem, Israel’s premier human-rights organisation got it bang to rights in its powerful 2021 publication “A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid”…
We endorse this powerful statement, put out by the Jewish Socialists’ Group in advance of the demonstration planned in central London on 16th May.
By Leah Levane
Trying to stop us marching for Palestine: Met police chief claims “that pro-Palestinian protest organisers repeatedly try to include a synagogue on their route through London.” This is untrue and recklessly increases the understandable fear for many Jewish people of a spate of genuinely antisemitic attacks.
By Leah Levane
A Channel4 podcast looks into the implications of the Golders Green stabbings and calls for restricting Palestinian protest which have followed, including a serious interview with British Israeli analyst Daniel Levy.