Avi Shlaim, the foolish old man and the adoring church goers

It is the 27th June 2017. I have just returned from an event at St James’s Church, an Anglican church in Piccadilly, London. It has a history of anti-Israel activism. Tonight Avi Shlaim was speaking at the ‘Embrace Annual Lecture’.  The official subject was to ‘explore Britain’s historical and current relationship with Palestine’. The main drumbeat provided another anti-Israel festival. This one was delivered with … Continue reading Avi Shlaim, the foolish old man and the adoring church goers

BDS antisemitic

Boycotting Gal Gadot. Antisemitic, discriminatory. BDS in action

Gal Gadot is the new ‘Wonder Woman’. Gal Gadot is also a proud Israeli. Gal’s nationality, religion and political opinion are hers to hold.  BDS once again shows that it is little more than a Jew hating lynch mob, that everyone with a conscience should refuse to engage with. It isn’t surprising that Lebanon wanted to boycott the Wonder Woman movie. The Arab boycott against … Continue reading Boycotting Gal Gadot. Antisemitic, discriminatory. BDS in action

Suarez Barkan

‘The only good Jew is a dead Jew’ (the Suarez – Barkan threshold)

‘The only good Jew is a dead Jew’. A horrific statement not so openly suggested in Europe or the USA in 2017.  In reality, this line is actually being propagated in almost every university campus in the west. Yes, it is camouflaged, but do not let that distract us from the sickening message underneath. Let me explain. Thomas Suarez recently published a work of revisionist … Continue reading ‘The only good Jew is a dead Jew’ (the Suarez – Barkan threshold)

The ‘Nakba’: The ongoing catastrophe of bad Palestinian decisions

Today is the 15th May, one day after the Gregorian calendar date for Israel’s Independence Day. Today, Palestinians and anti-Israel activists will commemorate the ‘Nakba’, or Catastrophe. Why the 15th May? Let me take a brief journey through history to find out if there are more suitable dates that should have been chosen. For example, just 11 days after the handshake between Arafat and Rabin … Continue reading The ‘Nakba’: The ongoing catastrophe of bad Palestinian decisions

University of Sussex, Palestine as Paradigm

The conference at the University of Sussex; a gathering of (mostly) idiots

I have just returned from a fascinating two-day conference at the University of Sussex. As someone who researches anti-Zionist forces in the UK, watching these people operate inside an arena so fraught with internal disagreement, made for a fascinating and educational outing. It spanned two full days and included around 50 speakers. The Sussex conference programme is available online. The framing of the University of … Continue reading The conference at the University of Sussex; a gathering of (mostly) idiots

Special report: A day of anti-Israel hatred at the University of Warwick

On Thursday, 4th May, I spent the day at the University of Warwick. Warwick forms part of one of my favourite areas of the UK. Close enough to visit from London in a day, and containing both Warwick castle and Shakespeare’s town, Stratford upon-Avon. As is proving to be a recurring theme, the romantic relationship I have with the country of my birth is being … Continue reading Special report: A day of anti-Israel hatred at the University of Warwick

antisemitism upside down

Stephen Sedley, FSOI and the PSC, getting antisemitism all mixed up

As I researched for an article about the demonstration and counter demonstration at SOAS on 27 April, I came across an essay on antisemitism by Stephen Sedley. Sedley is a former appeal court judge and the essay was just published in the London Review of Books. The essay dealt critically with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The building block for the IHRA … Continue reading Stephen Sedley, FSOI and the PSC, getting antisemitism all mixed up

Mark Regev, SOAS

The day Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev went to SOAS campus

On 27/4/2017, Mark Regev, the current Israeli Ambassador to London, came to speak at SOAS. Ever since the news of this event became public knowledge, several groups of students on SOAS have been actively trying to have the talk cancelled.  SOAS academics also issued a public plea, the student union issued a statement, and eventually, when it became clear it would go ahead, student groups … Continue reading The day Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev went to SOAS campus

antisemitism at UCC

The UCC, racism against Jews, and antisemitic conspiracy theories.

It is Sunday 2/4/2017. It is the third and last day of the Cork anti-Israel conference. A meeting of people who have chosen to spend their lives fighting against the Jewish State. The most liberal, most free, and most democratic nation in the entire region. Today saw the conference move from Cork City Hall onto the University College Cork (UCC) Campus. Despite the UCC publicly … Continue reading The UCC, racism against Jews, and antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Atzmon, falk at the LSE

A sickness at the heart of Academia, blindness at the LSE

20th March 2017. The London School of Economics (LSE) in Holborn. I am at a book launch for Richard Falk’s latest collection of essays titled ‘Palestine’s Horizon’. Falk has been invited to the LSE as part of a larger promotional tour of the UK. Last week he was in Scotland. Today sees two events, at the LSE and the P21 Gallery in Euston. On Wednesday … Continue reading A sickness at the heart of Academia, blindness at the LSE