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.”

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.

And it ends with what supporters of peace should be doing instead of calling for boycotts:

In the case of Israel, resorting to mass boycotts is an admission of failure. It’s a cathartic response to despair and floundering. Israelis have turned their backs on Gordon so he blindly lashes out.

Yet there is an alternative. It’s old-fashioned: educate and persuade. There is already a head start: opinion polls consistently show a majority of Israelis – and Palestinians too – accept a two-state solution as the means to peace. That must be built on: convince Israelis that they are not going to be murdered and thrown into the sea, and that their children – not only Gordon’s two sons – can look forward to a secure future. Convince them that the world – or at least much of it – does not view them as more evil than any other people but wishes them well. Encourage and help maximum contact and co-operation between Israelis and Palestinians.

It’s often boring, tedious work, with results that are not always immediately apparent. But it’s an affirmation of hope about what can be achieved.

Pogrund’s piece is a masterful and compelling argument against boycotts and in favour of engagement. We really have nothing to add. Read it all.

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.

Film is a powerful medium that, properly used, can bring people together and create understanding; at its best it can break down barriers and challenge the most entrenched of opinions. Film- makers have often shown courage and insight, and have given voices and an audience to those who need it most. Notable examples include a number of recent Arab, Palestinian and indeed Israeli productions that deal with various aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These include Free Zone in 2005, Paradise Now by Hani Abu Asad also in 2005, Lemon Tree in 2007 and Waltz with Bashir in 2008. It will surprise many to know that these films were all enabled by grants from the Israeli Government’s Film Fund.

For all of us who wholeheartedly support a two-state solution and moves towards peace in the Middle East for Israelis and Palestinians alike, this example of a government funding art that challenges and examines difficult issues within its own society is deemed admirable.

Given the record of the Israeli Film Fund, we were, therefore, surprised by the ill-judged action of the festival’s organisers – who, at the instigation of Ken Loach, an unquestionably distinguished director, returned a grant made to the festival by the Israeli Embassy to enable an Israeli director to participate. Mr Loach has been a longstanding supporter of boycotting Israel. Yet, if you look at the record of the Israeli Film Fund, it surely proves the value of an uncensored voice in a democratic society.

We are pleased that Tali Shalom Ezer will be able to attend the Edinburgh Festival after all, and that the organising committee has acknowledged its mistake in stating that Mr Loach spoke on behalf of the film community (which clearly he did not). Divisive cultural boycotts like this make loud statements but help no one.

Mark Batey – Film Distributors Association
Josh Berger – Warner Brothers UK
Neil Blair – the Christopher Little Literary Agency
Simon Chinn – Red Box Films
John Heyman – World Films
Nicholas Hytner – National Theatre
Michael Kuhn
Andrew Orr – Independent film Company
Peter Rhodes OBE
Rick Senat
Gary Sinyor
Janet Suzman
David Tyler – Pozzitive Television

“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:

IT IS a sad day for artistic freedom when the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) responds to threats of a political boycott and possible disruption by sending back a 000 donation from the Israeli Embassy.

Next month, EIFF had planned to show a short film by a graduate of Tel Aviv University. The movie, Surrogate, is about a female sex therapist. The grant was to help pay for the director to come to Edinburgh.

But that was before the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign threatened to picket screenings and persuaded the noted left-wing film-maker, Ken Loach, to call for a total boycott of EIFF. Despite the Israeli film having nothing to do with politics, the Festival’s organnisers gave into the blackmail. They have issued a fatuous statement defending the decision; “Although the Festival is considered wholly cultural and a-political, we … accept that [Mr Loach] speaks on behalf of the film community …”

But Ken Loach does not speak on behalf of the entire film community. He speaks only for himself. EIFF cannot accept public money from Scottish Screen and Edinburgh Council yet play political games. Ken Leach has 3 new film, Looking For Eric (with a cameo by Eric Cantona) in the running for the prestigious Palrne d’Or at Cannes. There are four Israeli films being shown at the festival, including Ajami, which is co-directed by an Israeli and a Palestinian. Curiously, Mr Loach is not proposing a boycott of Cannes

• Jerusalem Post
• Jewish Telegraphic Association