Kings Apartheid Week

Kings. Apartheid Week watch day two: Beauty and the beast

As I was doing my homework for the event at Kings, the information I received all pointed in one direction. All eyes were going to be on Farid Esack, a veteran anti-apartheid activist and Professor from South Africa. Esack is a man who welcomed his “comrade” plane hijacker Leila Khaled, of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, at a fund-raiser in 2015.  He … Continue reading Kings. Apartheid Week watch day two: Beauty and the beast

UCL antisemitism

Apartheid Week watch – day one. The Jew hating fetish opens at UCL

It is Apartheid ‘Week’ again. Last night, 27 Feb 2017 I was at UCL (University College London) for the opening night of UCL’s very own ‘Apartheid Fortnight’ (we were informed that their ‘classy’ week has been ‘doubled’). This event was titled ‘Apartheid: Stories from the Ground‘ The evening was put together by the UCLU Friends of Palestine Society. Which means that the welcoming committee was … Continue reading Apartheid Week watch – day one. The Jew hating fetish opens at UCL

Zoabi hypocrisy

Haneen Zoabi and 180 of the adoring faithful in Richmond

22 January 2017. I am at an event organised by the Richmond Palestine Solidarity Campaign. A big crowd, perhaps 180, have gathered to hear Israeli Arab member of the Knesset Haneen Zoabi speak. The room is full, but the demographic breakdown is simple. A large majority are white, British and over 55. It is the typical PSC crowd. Haneen Zoabi had received a standing ovation … Continue reading Haneen Zoabi and 180 of the adoring faithful in Richmond

325 miles to aleppo

325 miles to Aleppo, Syria. Hard lessons for Israel

It is difficult not to be moved by events in Syria. Images from Aleppo, Syria are heart-breaking. It is also fair to say, most of us in the west, despite vocally shouting that ‘something needs to be done’, haven’t got much idea about exactly what. Syria is a tale of 1000 trenches with 2000 armies. During the ‘Arab spring’ in 2011, I remember being engaged … Continue reading 325 miles to Aleppo, Syria. Hard lessons for Israel

Jackie Walker hatefest

The Norwich PSC / Jackie Walker fundraising ‘hatefest’

26 Nov 2016. Norwich. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) had organised a ‘fundraising dinner’ with Jacqueline Walker as the guest speaker. Walker was suspended from the Labour party in May over ‘alleged anti-Semitic comments’, then reinstated. She was then suspended again for further comments she made over security in Jewish schools and criticism over remembrance of The Holocaust. Even the hard left movement Momentum removed … Continue reading The Norwich PSC / Jackie Walker fundraising ‘hatefest’

Rabbi

The intolerant, angry and aggressive Rabbi for Human rights

Have you heard the one about the Jewish Rabbi ‘for Human Rights’ aggressively pushing another Jew in a church? It may sound like the opening line from a stand-up routine, but this is what happened as a speaker from the organisation came to join the modern church choir singing the age-old hymn, ‘oh Lord, let us all demonise Israel’. This was at St James Church … Continue reading The intolerant, angry and aggressive Rabbi for Human rights

hating-zionists

The science of hating Zionists, why most anti-Zionism is antisemitic

Some pieces are easy to write. I go to an event and hear people suggest that the Zionists were responsible for the holocaust, or witness mention of Jewish power. If it is a speech by Max Blumenthal or Tom Suarez, I will hear tales of Jewish conspiracy. I return home, analyse the recordings, research, and write. It is an easy process to follow. The more … Continue reading The science of hating Zionists, why most anti-Zionism is antisemitic

goldsmiths

Institutional antisemitism at Goldsmiths, University of London

On Tuesday I spent an evening at Goldsmiths, University of London. It was my first visit. The talk itself was called ‘Palestine 101’. Like many events that are taking place on campus at the moment, it was designed to convert ‘interested folk’ into ‘dumbed down’, rabid, Israel haters. The talk was one of the most nonsensical, baseless and insane rants I have yet to hear … Continue reading Institutional antisemitism at Goldsmiths, University of London

Hinde Street

Stupidity, The Hinde Street Methodist Church and Israel

It’s the 19th September 2016. My attention was drawn this week to an exhibit in London at the Hinde Street Methodist Church. An exhibition that seeks to enlighten Londoners about ‘what it is like to cross a checkpoint everyday’.  It is called “You cannot pass today”. It is based on ‘checkpoint 300’, a crossing between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Odd really. Even internal European travel can … Continue reading Stupidity, The Hinde Street Methodist Church and Israel

Ilan Pappe

Ilan Pappe destroys BDS, claims its central pillar is not true

Ilan Pappe is the head of a department of a UK University. Below is a video apparently signaling Pappe believes it is ‘important’ to push a line for the ‘historical record’, even if it is not ‘the truth’. What is scary is that his cause and the subjects he teaches are intimately related. How can the university not address this? In the video Pappe also … Continue reading Ilan Pappe destroys BDS, claims its central pillar is not true