Friday 12 March, 2010
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THE JEWISH CHRONICLE ONLINE
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Zionist Federation
Zionist Federation may sue David Bellamy over talk pull-out
February 18, 2010The British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (Bricup) has claimed its campaign led TV botanist David Bellamy to pull out of a Zionist Federation science event. Prof Bellamy was scheduled to be guest speaker at the Israel Blue White and Green event last week, but withdrew offering no explanation for his absence. The JC understands that the ZF is now considering taking legal action against Prof Bellamy for breach of contract.David Bellamy urged: 'Pull out of Zionist talk'
February 5, 2010The British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (Bricup) has urged botanist David Bellamy to pull out of a Zionist Federation event at which he is expected to speak about Israel’s environmental achievements. Mr Bellamy is due to appear at the ZF’s Israel Blue White and Green seminar alongside leading Israeli scientists on Tuesday. The event, which is primarily aimed at non-Jewish schoolchildren, is a follow-up to last year’s Israel Science Day which Bricup also attempted to disrupt.
Record lobby day for Zionists
January 21, 2010Politicians from across the spectrum have shown their support for a change in the current universal jurisdiction laws at a Zionist lobby of Parliament on Wednesday. More than 200 people attended the lobby day, the biggest ever organised by the Zionist Federation and Christian Friends of Israel. MPs spoke about Iranian nuclear weapons, university hate preaching, prospects for the BNP in the next election and perceived anti-Israel bias in the British media.ZF slams Goldstone letter in The Times
December 3, 2009The Zionist Federation has criticised the authors of an “open letter” to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling on him to endorse the Goldstone Report on Israel’s action in Gaza. The letter, with nearly 700 signatures and published in The Times on Tuesday, said that British Jews did not “speak with one voice” on Goldstone.Board blasts Israel’s 'maverick' defender
October 15, 2009Board of Deputies vice-president Jerry Lewis has launched a stinging attack on fellow Board member Jonathan Hoffman over his tactics when defending Israel in public. Mr Hoffman, who is also vice-chair of the Zionist Federation, has been criticised by War on Want and Amnesty for his vociferous attempts to challenge attacks on the Jewish state.War on Want is cleared by charity watchdog
September 10, 2009The Charity Commission has cleared War on Want of wrongdoing after the anti-poverty charity hosted an event which accused Israel of human rights abuses and called for a worldwide boycott of the Jewish state. Zionist Federation president Eric Moonman, who had complained to the commission about WoW’s actions, will now put together a panel of academics to scrutinise the commission’s work. The commission said this week it was satisfied that the anti-poverty group had worked within the rules and not breached charitable guidelines by hosting the event.University apologises to ZF for cancelled event...
July 14, 2009University College London has apologised to the Zionist Federation for cancelling an Israeli Independence Day celebration at the Bloomsbury theatre because the poster featured members of the IDF in uniform. The Bloomsbury Theatre, owned by UCL, cancelled one of the ZF's two Israel independence day events in April this year because publicity pictures included performers from the IDF entertainment troupe in uniform.ZF guest Halevy hails Gaza action
February 12, 2009Former Mossad head Ephraim Halevy hailed the impact of Operation Cast Lead in a speech to 500 Zionist Federation supporters in Central London on Sunday. Addressing the ZF’s annual dinner, which raised over £100,000, Mr Halevy maintained that from a military standpoint, the operation had been an “all-out success”, inflicting a humiliating defeat on Hamas. “This was also evident with the total isolation of Hamas in the Arab world. Egypt and Saudi Arabia turned their back, as did Iran and Syria. And where was [Hizbollah leader Sheikh Hassan] Nasrallah?”
Election day for ZF
September 19, 2008In the Zionist Federation's first contested elections for eight years, management consultant Jonathan Smilansky and City economist Jonathan Hoffman were elected ZF vice-chairs at its biennial conference in London on Sunday. The defeated candidate was former Board of Deputies vice-president Jerry Lewis. In addition, one-time Labour MP Eric Moonman and Manchester activist Joy Wolfe were elected to the two presidential positions.Envoy is told off over invite for settlers
August 7, 2008The Foreign Office has said it was a mistake to invite three West Bank settlers to an official birthday reception in honour of the Queen - and has implied that behind the scenes, the British ambassador to Israel has been rapped over the knuckles for inviting the men. Three members of the Yesha Council of settlers attended the party at Ambassador Tom Phillips' Ramat Gan residence in June. But the Foreign Office, reaffirming its stance that the settlements are illegal, says it will ensure settlers are not invited to such receptions again.
David Bellamy pulls out of Zionist Federation talk
February 11, 2010TV Botanist David Bellamy pulled out of an appearance at the Zionist Federation’s annual environment seminar, days after an anti-Israel group said he should be “outraged” by the event. Prof Bellamy was scheduled to be guest speaker at the Israel Blue White and Green events on Tuesday, but withdrew offering no explanation for his absence. At the event, almost 1,000 sixth form pupils and university students were briefed by leading Israeli scientists.Christian Aid slammed for anti-Israel youth magazine
February 4, 2010Christian Aid has apologised after its UK-based online youth magazine published an article calling Israel an “apartheid state”. The article, published on the website Ctrl.Alt.Shift and entitled Young Blood: Peres — War Criminal and Proud, attacked Israeli president Shimon Peres as a “war criminal” and called Zionism a “racist ideology”. Published on Holocaust Memorial Day last week, the article placed images of dead Jews in concentration camps next to images of dead Palestinians.
Zionist hit by abuse at SOAS debate
December 23, 2009The co-vice chairman of the Zionist Federation was subjected to antisemitic abuse after revealing his identity at a university debate on Israel and the Palestinians. Jonathan Hoffman was asking a question at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) in London. When asked to state his name, there was loud jeering and screams of “Jew”, “not welcome here” and “he’s Jewish”. He had been raising concerns about the presence of Bongani Masuku at the debate, titled: “Israel, the Palestinians and apartheid: The case for sanctions and boycott”.Gordon Brown's bid to fix rift with UK Jews
November 12, 2009The government is to launch a charm offensive to rebuild the trust of the Jewish community in response to the anger unleashed by the Goldstone Report on Gaza. Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis met senior representatives of the community on Tuesday to reassure them about last week’s decision to abstain in the UN General Assembly on a resolution endorsing the findings of the controversial report. Judge Richard Goldstone found that Israel and Hamas should be investigated for war crimes during the conflict.
Common cause at ZF
September 17, 2009An Israeli politician has called on diaspora communities to work together with Israel to tackle common issues such as assimilation and education. Addressing the Zionist Federation’s biennial conference in London, Kadima MK Yoel Hasson said: “I believe we are all one people. We have the same destiny and the same future and we should help and support each other. “We should deal with assimilation and problems with young people. It’s not just your problem, it’s ours too.”New Shalit appeal
September 3, 2009The Zionist Federation has launched a Rosh Hashanah appeal for captured soldier Gilad Shalit. The organisation will send New Year greeting cards from the public to the International Red Cross and ask them to help pass the messages to Gilad and his parents.Banned. Do they offend you?
April 23, 2009A group of young Israeli entertainers are at the centre of an argument which has forced the relocation of an annual Yom Ha’atzmaut show. The Zionist Federation planned to hold its annual family entertainment night at the Bloomsbury Theatre in central London next Tuesday (April 28), but was forced to move it after the venue refused to host members of the IDF dance troupe. The decision followed complaints from anti-Israel groups about the performance, which was due to be part of the Israel 61 Family Show. It will now take place at a secret location in north London.
Kaufman blasted for ‘Nazi’ remark
January 22, 2009Metro, the London freesheet, published an apology and changed the wording of a poll it ran on Monday which appeared to compare Israel with the Nazis. The poll was based on comments made during a House of Commons debate on Gaza by Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman last week. Sir Gerald, MP for Manchester Gorton, had said: “On Sky News a few days ago, the spokeswoman for the Israeli army, Major Leibovich, was asked about the Israeli killing of, at that time, 800 Palestinians—the total is now 1,000. She replied instantly that ‘500 of them were militants’.
Shalit march planned
August 21, 2008The Zionist Federation is organising a march and meeting in London on September 21 to publicise the plight of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.Edgware Synagogue hears of hospital's terror plight
June 5, 2008In a joint Jerusalem Day venture, Edgware Masorti Synagogue and the Zionist Federation presented “Ashkelon under fire”. The speaker was Lea Malul of Ashkelon’s Barzilai Medical Centre, who explained how the hospital coped with the constant threat of terror. Barzilai is fundraising for a protected underground facility for patients as its buildings are not fortified against rocket attacks.
