Baroness Tonge, a Liberal Democrat peer was fired from her front-bench health role after calling for an investigation into wild allegations that Israeli rescue teams had stolen Haitian organs while responding to the earthquake.

The following joint reaction to the sacking of Baroness Tonge by Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg was issued by the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews:

“Baroness Tonge’s support for an investigation into baseless accusations of organ harvesting by the Israeli rescue teams are outrageous and a calumny.

Baroness Tonge has promoted this libel against Israel by utilising historic themes that are classically deployed to attack the Jewish People. She has dishonoured the noble efforts of Israeli soldiers and civilians who engaged in a selfless humanitarian effort to save lives in Haiti.

Whatever her motives, Jenny Tonge’s persistent use of Antisemitic tropes has no place in British politics. Nick Clegg has responded swiftly and correctly. We welcome this. Nevertheless, any further use of antisemitic rhetoric must result in Tonge’s expulsion from the party and loss of the whip.”

Joint Statement from Jewish Leadership Council and Board of Deputies of British Jews

Response to TUC statements on the Middle East

Responding to today’s discussions on the Middle East at the Annual TUC conference, Jeremy Newmark, Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council and Jon Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews [both Fair Play Campaign board members], have issued the following statement:

“We are genuinely saddened that, in passing the FBU motion and adopting elements of the General Council statement, the TUC have damaged their ability to act as an honest broker building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians. The TUC has a noble record as a positive and unifying element in British life and in international relations.  This new policy will only create discord and divisiveness, masking a pro-boycott agenda behind the smokescreen of opposition to settlements.

The TUC has committed to supporting a two-state solution. They have asked unions to fund joint Histadrut/PGFTU projects. These constructive positions are totally incompatible with the decision to work closely with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, an organisation whose own logo wipes Israel off the map.

The Jewish community has many friends in the heart of the Trade Union movement, some of whom fought for a more balanced position. We are grateful to them. However, we made it clear to TUC leaders before their conference that a ‘deal’ which retained the language of boycotts would not address our concerns.

The fact that within moments of this statement was released conference delegates voted for a another extreme hardline pro-boycott motion proposed by the FBU is evidence that our concerns are well placed, and that TUC leaders must act against the harmful influence of the PSC within their unions. We insist that TUC leaders immediately clarify that this motion does not stand as TUC policy.

Israel’s strong, independent trade union movement works closely with the Palestinian trade unions to protect the rights of all workers.  It is particularly ironic that implementation of the TUC’s policy will harm the employment of many of those Palestinians.

Our communal leaders will respond robustly to this policy, which risks driving a wedge between British Jews and the Trade Union movement. Our response will be threefold:

• Firstly, we will be asking the TUC leadership to act swiftly and decisively to reassert their opposition to a boycott of Israel, and advise their member unions accordingly. We expect the General Council’s statement to be used as a licence to boycott by anti-Israel activists.

• Secondly, we will actively expose the discriminatory politics of the PSC, in order to frustrate their hijacking of Trade Unions to promote their anti-Israel and anti-peace agenda.

• Thirdly, we will be encouraging members of our own community to fight back, by getting involved in Trade Unions and speaking out.”

Benjamin Pogrund was a South African journalist and anti-Apartheid campaigner, and is now an Israeli peace campaigner. His piece on the Guardian’s Comment is Free,  “Boycotts only harden Israeli opinion“, rebuts Neve Gordan’s pro-boycott piece from last week.

The piece opens with a criticism of the ‘apartheid’ analogy as applied to Israel:

For some, the apartheid accusation is the way to destroy Israel. If Israel can be linked with apartheid then it can be denounced as illegitimate as was white-ruled South Africa and hence be wide open to international sanctions.

Those who pursue this couldn’t care less about facts. They have an agenda and are unscrupulous about distortion, lying and exaggeration. Their ultimate purpose is exposed by how they answer a basic question: whether or not they accept the fact of Israel’s existence.

Continue reading ‘“Boycotts, sanctions and divestment are not the way to persuade individual Israelis”’ »

We have already reported on the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s decision to return a grant from the Israeli Embassy.

To coincide with the beginning of the Festival, several film industry figures have come together to support the Israeli filmmakers and criticise the Festival organisers. Their letter is below:

Sir, The Edinburgh International Film Festival has always been a highlight of the British creative calendar. This year, with so many people talking about a new golden age of British cinema, there is even greater excitement around the festival. Continue reading ‘Film Industry attacks the Edinburgh Film Festival’ »

Yesterday’s Times reported that Sir Jeremy Isaacs condemned the Edinburgh International Film Festival’s decision to return a £300 grant from the Israeli Embassy.

“I have admired the Edinburgh International Film Festival for many years and would like to think that this appalling decision will be rescinded.”

Lord Janner said

“By banning the Israeli Embassy from supporting a film-maker the festival is helping to exclude Israelis from British cultural life, something that is clearly unfair.”

In one piece of good news, though, the Festival has agreed to pay Tali Shalom Ezer’s travel costs out of its own pocket. This is something we called on them to do. Ironically, therefore, Ken Loach’s protest means that rather than the Israeli embassy, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is now directly supporting Israeli culture.

Finally, on the 19th of May, the Scotsman’s Leader condemned the EIFF and Ken Loach. As it does not appear on the Scotsman website, we reproduce it below: Continue reading ‘More on the Edinburgh Film festival’ »