On the 15th of May, a huge conference for supporters of Israel, called  ”We Believe in Israel”, will be held. This will be one of the biggest pro-Israel events in the country, and certainly the largest, most diverse and most vibrant conference for Israel’s supporters in the UK.

We Believe in Israel will include inspirational plenary sessions with top-level speakers, and sessions that will include updates and analysis on the situation in the region, training in skills that can help you in your political activism, and sessions that will allow you to grapple with the complex ethical and philosophical challenges that underpin the Jewish state.

We Believe in Israel is a BICOM event that is supported by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, the Zionist Federation, the Union of Jewish Students and many others. Fair Play is proud to support the Conference.

BOOK NOW – and we’ll see you there!

Following the shocking murders of the Fogel family, where a baby and a toddler were knifed to death, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has published a dossier of incitement against Israel and Israelis, propagated through official and unofficial channels of the Palestinian Authority.

You can see a summary here.

The full report is in Microsoft Powerpoint format and can be downloaded here.

The following letter appeared in the Independent last week:

I wonder whether it is just possible that those members of the University and College Union (UCU) who, for many years, have campaigned for the academic boycott of Israel – the only democratic country in the Middle East – are prepared to think seriously about the implications of the Gaddafi-LSE affair and the acceptance by several UK Universities of huge amounts of money in order to set up Oriental Institutes and Islamic and Middle Eastern studies centres whose academic appointments and courses of study are strongly influenced by their patrons. Will those members of UCU who call for the boycott of Israeli universities remain silent about the acceptance of funding with strings attached from the despotic rulers of countries such as Libya, Saudi Arabia or Qatar?

Henry Ettinghausen
Emeritus Professor of Spanish
University of Southampton

HT: modernity

On Sunday, Roger Waters announced his support for a boycott of Israel.  Ben-Dror Yemini of Maariv has written him an open letter challenging him.

One thing that strengthens Yemini’s point is actually there in Waters’ own announcement. He declares his support for a boycott aimed at:

Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands [occupied since 1967] and dismantling the Wall;

Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and

Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

Note the section in square brackets above. They look odd, don’t they? Square brackets normally suggest an insertion that’s not in the original text.

This is because Waters is quoting the Palestinian boycott call issued in 2005. That call read:

“1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall”

What does “All Arab lands” mean? It’s not clear, but plenty of people would read that to mean all of Israel, and not just the West Bank and Gaza; effectively a call to eliminate Israel. Presumably this is also how Roger Walters read it, or he wouldn’t have felt the need to add his own insertion.

Given this – given that he must know that the boycott movement as a whole is trying to destroy Israel – why is he supporting it at all?

Ben-Dror Yemini’s letter is below.

To Roger Waters, Greetings.

Look Mr. Waters, the Jewish People is already used to blood libels. From using the blood of children for baking Passover matzah, to directing world Communism, to directing world capitalism, to controlling the media, and in the last generation, committing genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. A generation passes on and a generation arrives, and the number of blood libels forever exist.

Israel, Mr. Waters, is not exempt from any criticism. We’re the world champions of self-criticism. There isn’t another nation in which, in every field – not just the Israel-Palestinian conflict – there is so much biting, roiling criticism – often false and vicious. But even to this we’ve grown accustomed. Usually we’re proud of our democracy, even when it’s biting. But sometimes, Mr. Waters, we’re fed up. We’ve simply had it. Not from the criticism; it’s essential for every community, every society, every nation, like air to breathe.

We’re fed up with the lies. For most of us – if you can read a little beyond the slogans – were fed up with the occupation. So if that’s your thing you would find lots of partners in Israel – most Israelis. But that’s not the story – not for BDS, of which you’ve become a great supporter, and not for the Hamas in Gaza, which only a year ago you announced your support for those who went there to cheer them – another campaign of useful idiots.

Let’s start with the occupation. Only in the last decade Israel announced its willingness to end it, again, again and again. Completely. This began with the Camp David talks. The Palestinians backed away from a serious discussion. Then Clinton offered his proposal, which would have granted the Palestinians a state on 95% of the territory. They decided to say”no”. Right after that, at the Taba talks all the giants of the the Israeli Left showed up. They went another big step towards the Palestinians, but even that didn’t help. Two years ago another generous offer was made by Prime Minister Olmert. He didn’t even get a reply from Abu Mazen.

Back to the BDS. Listen to the leaders of the campaign. Read their manifesto. They don’t want two states for two peoples. Not the end of the occupation, but the end of Israel. You can hear it in their own voices. Yes, there are Israels among us who support this campaign. That’s how we are. Runaway democracy. Everything goes. So instead of marvelling at our unparalleled democracy, you take advantage of the fact that Israeli democracy allows demonstrations like this, and you go and join the gang that is fighting against the very existence of the national home of the Jewish People. That’s the position of Ahmadinejad, Al Qaida and Hamas. Is that your position? Have you gone crazy?

Are you in the peace camp, Mr. Waters? Here’s a simple test for you. Very simple. Ask your friends in the BDS one question: “Do you support an agreement of two states for two peoples?”

We’ve got news for you: They oppose it. They don’t want a Palestinian state alongside Israel, they want a Palestinian state in place of Israel. That’s what’s written in the manifesto of BDS. Read it, it’s in English. They write in it, “Right of Return”, which, loosely translated means “Destruction of Israel”. To remove any doubt, they have the right of return–to a Palestinian state alongside Israel, not in place of Israel.

You and your ilk, Mr. Waters, are simply prolonging the suffering of the Palestinians. You are encouraging the peace refuseniks among them. You are encouraging their illusions.You are creating a new chapter of the Palestinian disaster. Who knows, if it were not for this support – by so many useful idiots – the Palestinians would have emerged from their position of refusal. But when they see you, and you join up with them, they continue to refuse peace.

So this is an opportunity for you, Mr. Waters, to prove that you’re a humanitarian and human rights activist. It’s not complicated. Tell the Israelis and Palestinians and BDS people one thing: the end of the conflict will come only if the two sides recognize the two-state solution. The side that refuses is the side that must be pressured, even boycotted. Only when you say this simple thing to both sides will you truly be in the peace camp. If you continue to support BDS, you are supporting refusal and the continuation of occupation and suffering.

A reply from you Mr. Waters, will be greatly appreciated.

The Times Higher reports that senior UCU figures have admitted what we’ve been saying for years – that their union is being controlled by the Socialist Workers’ Party to promote their own narrow sectarian interests.

Invasion of the union snatchers?

By John Morgan

Senior members of the University and College Union have accused the Socialist Workers Party and a lecturers’ Left group of seeking to “take over” the union while using its members and resources as “cannon fodder”.

In an email to branch officials, the union’s treasurer and two members of the national executive committee (NEC) argue that the actions of “SWP/UCU Left” have “undermined our credibility with our members and strengthened the hand of the employers”.

The union, which has about 65,000 members in the academy, is holding five strike ballots across further and higher education this month over jobs, pay and pensions.

Supporters of the UCU Left, an increasingly influential force on the NEC, say the email is counterproductive at a crucial time for the union.

They criticise “red scare” tactics, saying UCU Left members are independent and come from a range of political backgrounds.

The email comes after Sally Hunt, the UCU’s general secretary, warned the NEC that union strategy was being “directed by bodies outside UCU rather than our own members”.

Divisions have hardened after the UCU Left successfully pressed for the union to support a protest by left-wing student groups in London on 29 January, against fees and cuts.

This angered opponents – including Ms Hunt – who noted the violence of previous marches and warned of damage to the UCU’s relationship with the National Union of Students.

In the email, the three members of the “independent broad left group” of the NEC – Alan Carr, the union treasurer, John McCormack and Angela Roger – appeal for support for a Reclaim the Union campaign.

They criticise “the sectarian behaviour of the Socialist Workers Party, which dominates and controls…’UCU Left’”, and say the groups “are seeking to take over our union”.

The email blames them for the “much ridiculed 8 per cent pay claim in higher education in 2009″.

Previous criticisms of the UCU Left have focused on the proposed boycott of Israeli universities.

“The SWP/UCU Left seems determined to use members and the union’s resources as cannon fodder, and the only winners from this folly will be the employers and the government,” they say.

“While we seek the support of local NUS students for our own disputes, the NEC has created an alliance with student organisations (that) publicly attack NUS.”

UCU Left supporters said that the three signatories supported earlier versions of motions backing the London protest and asked why they “went along” with such motions if they believed there was an “SWP plot”.

An SWP spokesman said it was “hardly a secret” that party members are active in the UCU, “but the idea that there is an attempt at a ‘palace coup’ by a group of socialists to take over the union is frankly crazy”.