Antisemitism seminars ..... from UCU?

It is anti-Israel to suggest that Israel has apartheid policies, not antisemitic. Israel doesn't have apartheid policies, it just discriminates against its non-Jewish minority. Oh and against the non-Jewish majority in the occupied territories. But that's not apartheid.

Gordon Bennett or Bennet, the Troll who can't even spell his own name - which is false anyway because he doesn't have the guts to use his own name.

The Troll who doesn't care about what is and what is not antisemitic because all he wants is to hate Israel.

The Troll who cannot break free from his irrational obsession with Israel-bashing.

Israel was the first country in the Middle East to give Arab women the vote - a proud record for starters, Gordon.

Yvetta, that was truly noble of Israel. But it isn't the voting that makes a democracy, it's the counting of the votes -- and when it comes to Arabs, as they say in Hebrew, Lo sofrim otam (They aren't counted). Israel fails to fund Arab schools and municipalities to the same level as their Jewish counterparts. And, under a law going through the Knesset now, non-Jews will not be allowed to buy property in Jewish areas.

Hickey's just looking for an excuse to plead that there's nothing antisemitic about singling out the little Jewish State for opprobrium and boycott, alone among the nations. This is an extract from Hickey's missive in the Brighton Evening Argus (18 June 2007), regarding antisemitism:

The accusation of anti-semitism is both absurd and offensive. The UCU, together with the National Union of Journalists and UNISON (also engaged in discussion of a boycott), have proud records in opposing all forms of racism, including anti-semitism, and of organising to defend the rights of the oppressed. Personally, I have spent much of my adult life, professionally and politically, analysing and resisting racism and oppression.

Accusing those who criticise Israel of being anti-semites presumes an identity of interests between Israel and all Jewish people, wherever they may be. This is illogical and contrary to the facts. Most of those who spoke in favour of the motion were Jewish, as are the members of the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP). The response of Israel's defenders is to say that such people are not "proper Jews"; they are "self-hating Jews". In the interests of deploying a desperate argument, Jewishness thus becomes not a cultural or religious identity but rather an ideological position.

Boycott It may be the case, as a result of the debate in our union, that we do not decide to boycott. That will depend on the nature of the arguments in our branch discussions. If that is the outcome, however, it will not be because most members are unconcerned about the plight of the Palestinians. It would be because an alternative proposal for their aid and support, and for opposition to Israeli policy, had emerged. Such an alternative would have to be at least as effective as the boycott call in raising the issue to national and international prominence. If we do boycott after a debate, it will be of Israeli institutions not our individual Israeli colleagues.

If Israeli academic institutions are complicit in the inhuman and dehumanising treatment of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, for us to do nothing, or to do nothing effective, would make us comparably complicit, if only by default. We are all confronted by this central moral and political issue of our time. It is one that holds the key for peace in the Middle East and beyond. In the knowledge of what is being done in the Occupied Territories, we cannot turn away, and say "business as usual".

Jonathan, if you cared about Israel, you wouldn't be allying yourself with the far right. You wouldn't be the British anti-Zionists' greatest asset. You wouldn't conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. You wouldn't alienate Progressive Zionists. And you would notice what is really Israel-bashing and antisemitism as opposed to crying wolf every time Israel is mentioned not to your liking.

Yvetta, Hickey is wrong on many things, but he's right on one: there is no identity of interests between Jews qua Jews and the state of Israel.

Here's a great reply to Hickey's vile bile:
PHILLIP Ein-Dor, Israel says...
4:27pm Mon 18 Jun 07

"... systematic denial of educational opportunities and academic freedom to Palestinian students and scholars."

I know Mr. Hickey is not one to let the facts confuse him, but others might consider the following. In 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza, there was one Palestinian University - Bir Zeit. Under Israeli occupation since 1967, NINE more have been established:
Hebron U. 1971
Bethlehem U. 1973
Al Najah 1977
Islamic University of Gaza 1978
Al Quds 1984
Al Aqsa 1991
Edward Said National Conservatory of Music 1993
Arab American U. 1995.
So Israel obstructs Palestinian acdemic freedom.

It is interesting to note that Bir Zeit, the only one before 1967, was established in 1924 under the British Mandate. Not a single one was added during the Egyptian and Jordanian administrations of Gaza and the West Bank respectively.

As for freedom of movement of academics and scholars, that was free before the suicide bombings began and will be again if Palestinians can bring themselves to accept the existence of Israel and forego killing Israeli civilians.

And another (again from The Argus):

Alex Evans, Sydney says...
5:57am Tue 19 Jun 07

Hickey is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the increasingly anti-semitic hard left. I do not understand how the SWP and all it's hangers on can support this racist vilification of Israel - which after all is the ONLY middle eastern state protecting womens rights, has Arabs in the Knesset and affors voting rights to it's minorities. In it's moral relavitism the left has betryed ALL of it's principles.

Good point raised by Philip over the growth of universities in the occupied territories.

Can you imagine the range of courses offered by monotheitic Hamas at the imaginary University of Gaza - womens studies perhaps? Philosophy?

More than anything, this motion stinks of student union politics.

When China, Tibet, Zimbabwae, Singapore, Indonesia and every other authoritarian society (all of whom offer their citizens far less rights than Israel) are similarly treated, Hickey may be worth the oxygen he consumes.

A particularly good 'un:

Elias aboud, St. John's, Newfoundlandn says...
1:55am Wed 20 Jun 07

I am a Lebanese Christian. The Palestinians stole my land in 1976 when they massacred my family at Damour, mutilating the testicles of the corpses. In Jordan in September 1970, the Palestinians tried to steal that land too but King Hussein annihilated 20,000 of them in Ajloun. Now, the Palestinians are exterminating each other. So where does Tom Hickey get off with his brazen attacks on the Jews of Israel, the only country in which Arabs live in complete freedom? I'll tell you something - only the Arabs of Palestine and their brethren in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria practise apartheid because no Jews can live or vote there, no women can move freely, and no Christians can practise their faith freely.

Gordon, I'm a Progressive Jew and Jonathan isn't alienating me. Just because I'm non-Orthodox doesn't mean I'm a political lefty. Danny Rich and Dan Cohn-Sherbok (the latter a Liberal rabbi who actually marched with the anti-Israel mob on the Israeli Embassy last January with "Free Palestine" badge on lapel and wrote to a newspaper likening Cast Lead to the Nazi assault on the Warsaw Ghetto) alienate me with their failure to stand by Israel in the face of existential threat.

The Troll's comment at 19:41 bears about as much resemblance to the truth as his assumed name does to his real name.

Don't feed him.

Hoffman, it might be funny, but Gordon Bennett is my real name as much as Jonathan Hoffman is yours. So, boychick, why are you so hot on helping the anti-Zionists and giving Israel supporters in the diaspora such a bad name?

"And, under a law going through the Knesset now, non-Jews will not be allowed to buy property in Jewish areas."

The Troll is wrong as usual:

http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=5&x_article=39

"In the early part of the century, the Jewish National Fund was established by the World Zionist Congress to purchase land in Palestine for Jewish settlement. This land, and that acquired after Israel’s War of Independence, was taken over by the government. Of the total area of Israel, 92 percent belongs to the State and is managed by the Land Management Authority. It is not for sale to anyone, Jew or Arab. The remaining 8 percent of the territory is privately owned. The Arab Waqf (the Muslim charitable endowment), for example, owns land that is for the express use and benefit of Muslim Arabs. Government land can be leased by anyone, regardless of race, religion or sex. All Arab citizens of Israel are eligible to lease government land."

Actually, Gordon is right, Israel's land laws are being changed and that CAMERA piece is from 1997, so it is well out of date. Are you Vortigern in disguise, Hoffman?

You're off topic troll, and anyway like all trolls you never justify your statements. You're wrong.

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/08/05/1007053/land-reform-will-privatiz...

The reforms apply to all,they do not discriminate between Jews and others.

I'm not reponding to any more off-topic trolling from you - even if it has a basis of fact, which this does not.

I think you mean, "especially if it is factual". There is a law going through the Knesset called "Chok Okef Bagatz" -- The Supreme Court Bypass Bill -- which will mean that only Jews can buy land in "Jewish" areas. That's apartheid. So good you aren't here at Limmud, by the way. No need for megaphone Zionists.

wrong again

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull...

If you mean thse bills - they are being discussed - they are not "going through"

And it has nothing to do with 'only Jews can buy land in Jewish areas' - stop wasting my time - it is to do with the rights of communities to decide who can join them. Moshavim and Kibbutzim have always been able to choose their members and this is no different it seems.

Amplification:

There is no proposed law bearing the title "Chok Okef Bagatz".

There is no proposed law creating or preserving “Jewish areas” or in any way limiting the right of non-Jews to buy land in “Jewish areas.”

There is a proposal – which is unlikely to pass into law – permitting the state to sell land to “community settlements,” which would, in turn, have the right to determine who can buy property and live in their communities.

Many such community settlements exist in Israel: Jewish, non-Jewish and mixed. The Supreme Court ruled several years ago that the state could NOT sell land to a community settlement that would restrict sales to non-Jewish buyers, although the state could sell land to a community settlement that would restrict sales to non-Arab buyers.

Hoffman, I've always wondered why a self-respecting fascist might choose the name Vortigern, a failed ancient king and the name of a ship sunk in 1943.

That is why the Bill, in its Third Reading stage -- so it is close to legislation - is about bypassing the Supreme Court. It will make into law what has happened for years -- that is, the prevention of non-Jews from buying property in "Jewish" areas. Oh and thanks for confirming that the moshavim and kibbutzim, for all their "socialist" credentials, have been doing this for years.

If you persist in demonising Israel and failing to understand what I have said, so be it. The one good thing about not being at Limmud is avoiding you.

Of course being an Antizionist Troll the fact that there is a law against residency of Jews in Jordan (or certainly owning/buying land) just passes you by, doesn't it .........

As for 'Vortigern' you had better ask him/her. I post in my own name unlike you who does not have the guts to do that. And don't tell me 'Gordon Bennett' is your real name - it isn't.

And the fact that the Palestinian Authority has a law forbidding land sale to Jews seems also to have passed you by. Several Arabs have been murdered for violating it.

Problem is, Hoffman, unlike the Arab states, Israel alleges that it is a democracy -- "the only democracy in the Middle East", in fact -- and in democracies, people of one ethnic group are not legally barred from buying property where members of another ethnic group resides. Gordon Bennett is my real name as much as Jonathan Hoffman is yours.

It's good you are not at Limmud because you would just have caused a scene at the very pleasant, informative and intelligent Israel discussions. The only anti-Zionist troll here is the one you see when you look in the mirror, bully boy.

"Gordon Bennett is my real name"

Then paste here a URL mentioning you in an Israel or Jewish context, with some biographical detail --- so we can see it is indeed your real name.

Why is it that you refuse to engage with anybody who does not immediately jump through your hoops Jonathan? You had no problem with those who used pseudonyms but happened to agree with you...

I don't see why I or anyone else has to dance to your tune, Hoffman. Why are you going off subject, bullyboy? Is it because it has been proved that you either have no mastery of the subject matter or that you have chosen to defend the indefensible like any good propagandist? You are not a Zionist, Hoffman. You are a parody of a Zionist.

Again: "Gordon Bennett is my real name"

Then paste here a URL mentioning you in an Israel or Jewish context, with some biographical detail --- so we can see it is indeed your real name.

As for "going off subject" - look at how the Troll diverts threads, look at his post above (22nd 19:41).

You don't want to believe? Fine. Zabashchah, as we who know Hebrew say. And as has also become apparent, the bullyboy tactics and ad hominem attacks are just a cover for the total ignorance of Jewish and Israeli issues that make the "elected" VC of the ZF the anti-Zios' favourite Zionist. As Progresive Jews have been saying here at Limmud: it's time for a new-look, more thoughtful less-kneejerk Zionist movement in this country.

Oh oh, Gordon! Which Progressive Jews? Danny Rich, by any chance? (Is Mark Regev there this year, btw?)

Why should we believe you are at Limmud, Troll?

In the face of all the evidence to the contrary, you steafdfastly refuse to provide evidence to substantiate your assertion that "Gordon Bennett' is your 'real name.'

Why should anyone believe anything you write?

Hoffman, or whoever you are, why should anyone believe a propagandist who doesn't even know the basics of what he is propagandising? Look in the mirror, Jonathan, you'll see the bullying troll to end all trolls.

Yvetta, dunno about Gordon, but I too have been at Limmud and actually Ra.bbi Rich hasn't spoken on the issue of the far-right leaning ZF. But other rabbis and at grassroots this is a prevalent feeling. Someone on the JLC is also a bit concerned, too

Thanks, Moshe.
Actually, I fancy men who lean to the right ;~)