Posts by Marcus Dysch

Pet Shop Boys defy boycotters to play in Israel

Marcus Dysch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:03:03 +0100

Pet Shop Boys will perform in Tel Aviv later this week after defying anti-Israel activists’ calls for them to pull out of a planned concert.

Pop stars Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe said that while they opposed “crude and cruel defence policies” of the Israeli government, comparisons with apartheid South Africa were “a caricature”.

The veteran pop group has sold more than 50 million records and picked up dozens of awards in the past 30 years for hits including West End Girls, Always On My Mind, and It’s a Sin.

The gig at Tel Aviv’s Nokia Arena is part of a European tour and is expected to go ahead as planned on Sunday evening.

Rejecting the calls for a boycott, Mr Tennant wrote on the band’s website: “I don't agree with this comparison of Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. It's a caricature.

“Israel has (in my opinion) some crude and cruel policies based on defence; it also has universal suffrage and equality of rights for all its citizens both Jewish and Arab.

“In apartheid-era South Africa, artists could only play to segregated audiences; in Israel anyone who buys a ticket can attend a concert.”

The duo have regularly joined gay rights campaigns and supported other human rights issues.

Activists from the anti-Israel group Innovative Minds plan to picket a Pet Shop Boys appearance at a film screening on London’s Southbank on Wednesday evening.

Innovative Minds had asked the performers to “open their eyes to the ugly reality of apartheid Israel, to cancel their concert and stand with the oppressed Palestinians”.

Board warns of ‘enemies’ spying on its meetings

Marcus Dysch — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:30:17 +0100

Live online broadcasting of Board of Deputies meetings has provided greater scrutiny of the organisation’s work, but could allow “hostile activists” to spy on the community.

A decision on whether to continue the streaming of meetings is due to be taken by deputies this Sunday following a controversial trial of video technology over the past year.

In a risk assessment report, Board executives admitted that “hostile activists could watch broadcasts and gather intelligence on communal activities”, but conceded that JC reports of meetings would allow similar opportunities to the Board’s “enemies”.

Members of the Board’s finance and organisation division who have been considering the benefits of the streaming system, have voted unanimously for it to continue. A motion to be proposed at Sunday’s plenary meeting will ask deputies to ratify the decision.

The report said the trial had allowed “all Jews to understand the decisions taken by the Board” and to “see how meetings are conducted”.

But it acknowledged that there was greater potential for embarrassment if poor conduct at meetings was aired live.

“Adverse comments by deputies could cause reputational damage or be subject to legal action,” the report warned.

A password system was considered in an attempt to restrict from recording, editing or rebroadcasting sections of meetings, but the Board concluded that such measures would not “prevent determined hostile viewers”, but may discourage “legitimate” viewers.

During the trial, deputies who did not want to be shown in the online broadcasts were given the option of speaking at a microphone which could not be heard outside the meeting room and from a position which was hidden from the camera.

The practice is expected to continue despite complaints that it made the system unworkable, with deputies’ comments being reported by journalists and tweeted by other deputies nonetheless.

G4S: Israel work does not break international law

Marcus Dysch — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:17 +0100

Security company G4S has defended its work in Israel and denied that it breached international law in its management of security systems at prisons in the West Bank.

Shareholders repeatedly questioned the firm’s new chief executive, Ashley Almanza, about contracts in Israel during the company’s annual general meeting in the City of London.

There have been repeated calls for G4S to pull out of deals which see 6,000 staff provide screening equipment at checkpoints and manage security systems at Ofer prison near Ramallah.

G4S confirmed earlier this year that a number of contracts affecting the firm’s work in the West Bank expire in 2015 and will not be renewed.

Activists demonstrated outside the meeting, with a mock “apartheid” wall set up to represent Israel’s security barrier.

Around half the questions asked during the two-hour meeting referred to contracts in Israel and when the company would terminate its work there.

Among the shareholders attacking Mr Almanza was John Hilary, executive director of charity War on Want, who said he was concerned by the company’s work in Israel.

Danish MP Nikolaj Villumsen claimed that prisoners were tortured in Israeli jails where G4S works. Activists in Copenhagen are lobbying the city council to terminate its contracts with G4S over the issue.

Mr Almanza told shareholders that G4S had “not breached international law” but would “continue to keep the matter under review”. He said that stance would not alter even if the company was “making five times as much money in Israel”.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign chairman Hugh Lanning attended the AGM and said G4S had “learned that there’s a price to be paid for profiting from Israel’s crimes.

“PSC’s campaign against G4S will continue until it stops making money from human rights violations, illegal detention and torture against Palestinians and withdraws from doing business with Israel’s prison service”.

A G4S spokesman said the company’s position had not changed since April, when it confirmed that a full review of its Israel contracts had taken place in 2011 and that the decision “to exit contracts” was taken “in line with our own business ethics policy”.

The Israeli embassy in London has previously praised G4S for helping to prevent suicide bombers and “ensuring convicted terrorists remain under lock and key”.

UK Muslim group says it will sue Jewish activist

Marcus Dysch — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:00:17 +0100

The founder of an organisation which records Islamophobic attacks is engaged in a legal battle with a Jewish woman who he claims defamed him on Twitter.

Fiyaz Mughal has threatened libel proceedings against Israel supporter Ambrosine Chetrit after she allegedly criticised the Tell Mama group. He has accused her of siding with the anti-Islamic English Defence League.

Speaking publicly about the case for the first time this week, Mrs Chetrit said: “I am not anti-Muslim, I am not an EDL supporter, I just want to be able to say that I support Israel without the abuse that I received.”

Mrs Chetrit, a music publicist, has around 23,600 followers on the social media site.

Tell Mama was set up to help British Muslims report discrimination, and to monitor incidents in a similar way to the Community Security Trust’s recording of antisemitism. Israel activist Sir Trevor Chinn is among its patrons, and CST works closely with the group.

Mr Mughal said the Jewish community was Tell Mama’s “greatest ally”.

Referring to the case, he said: “It has nothing to do with people’s views on Israel. It has nothing to do with people’s views on Islamic radicalism. It’s a question of defending our reputation in relation to what she has said.”

The tweets in question were sent in September last year and February this year. In one, Mrs Chetrit allegedly likened Tell Mama to the Stasi and claimed the group was “trying to close down pro-Israel accounts” on Twitter. Mr Mughal’s lawyer, Dr Farooq Bajwa, said she had also implied that Tell Mama encouraged antisemitism.

Mrs Chetrit’s lawyer, Mark Lewis, said the tweets did not refer to Mr Mughal and were not defamatory.

Mr Lewis has reported Mr Mughal and Mr Bajwa to police after their letter to Mrs Chetrit demanding an apology and damages was sent to her home address, which she had not made public.

Dr Bajwa previously represented the Palestinian blood libel cleric Sheikh Raed Salah in his attempt to avoid deportation from Britain.

Want us to get closer to Israel? Try something new

Marcus Dysch — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:55:24 +0100

The Wembley Conference Centre was a concrete monstrosity, sensibly knocked down seven years ago. But it lives on in my memory thanks solely to the events of April 26 1998.

It was on that date that 22,000 of us marked Israel's 50th birthday in style. The Dysch family travelled down the M1 on a packed coach, much as we would for a day out at the FA Cup Final played at the opposite end of Wembley Way.

For a 15-year-old from Hull it was great fun. You could fax a message to the Kotel, see the gala show, or, in the case of my father, be interviewed by the BBC for a follow-up documentary.

Sadly, I doubt that in the summer of 2028, as Israel celebrates its 80th birthday, many will look back on last week's Closer to Israel event with such warmth. Some of us struggled to remember the alleged highs even later the same day.

The organisers had predicted a turn-out of 20,000 and the most unforgettable Israel advocacy event in living memory. The eventual attendance was barely a quarter of that figure.

We are told that Closer to Israel was the "umbrella for a programme of year-round grassroots activities". These "activities" include coffee mornings, musical soirees and film screenings.

Then wake me up when the year is over. Such staples of the 1970s no longer cut the mustard. Trafalgar Square was largely bereft of teenagers and people under the age of 40. Why? Because they have little desire for more of the same.

Speeches. Middle-aged white men. Stilt-walkers. It was another dose of "meh" in a multi-cultural, high-definition era when organisations have to refresh as quickly as a teenager's Twitter feed to maintain interest.

A quick digression here, as similarly conspicuous by their absence were the supposed legions of anti-Israel activists that the boycott proponents are so quick to claim exist. For all their talk on social media beforehand, such groups could barely muster two dozen protesters on the day.

They may have big mouths but when it comes to the crunch their hate does not outweigh our love. It is a point that is worth remembering.

Our leading concern, though, should be what more could have been done with the £250,000 that the event astonishingly cost? A three-and-a-half-hour, one-off event in a few square miles of central London is not a lot to show for such a sum.

For quarter-of-a-million quid we could have had something different for once. How about Idan Raichel performing a series of gigs around the country? Or Bar Refaeli in dozens of British glossy magazines? Yossi Benayoun promoting Uefa's showpiece Under-21 tournament in Israel? Who knows whether these would have been possible, but isn't it worth finding out?

Ambassador Daniel Taub and the Chief Rabbi are, alongside Howard Jacobson, the finest Israel advocates in the UK. But they are not exactly short of public speaking opportunities. Putting them on a stage to speak for two minutes to a crowd that already loves Israel achieves nothing.

Imagine the impact if the wider British public had instead been introduced to Yityish Aynaw, the current Miss Israel. An Ethiopian orphan whose grandparents took her to Israel, Yityish thrived in her new home, serving in the IDF before her title catapulted her on to the global scene and gave Barack Obama the chance to tell her she was "very beautiful" at a state dinner. Her story is every bit as remarkable as Israel's own miraculous development, and would surely have made a greater impression on wider views of a country that is regularly derided as belligerent.

Think back to those big Australian advertising campaigns - "So where the bloody hell are you?" - that caused such waves of excitement in Britain a few years ago. California ran similar commercials. They were ballsy, good-humoured affairs. Why not try something similar for Israel?

The mix of excitement, youth, fun and the bit of chutzpah required for such a campaign certainly exists in the Holy Land. Imagine showcasing Tel Aviv's beaches, Jerusalem's history, Gay Pride parades, pioneering medical innovation, Arab-Israeli football stars, and so much more.

In 1996, Dutch soccer star Ruud Gullit coined the term "sexy football". People laughed, but his point was made. It is time to do a better job of showing off Israel's sexy side.

Our approach to Israel advocacy needs to go the same way as Wembley Conference Centre. We would certainly get more bang for our buck than from an hour of speeches in Trafalgar Square.

Galloway in bid for Boris’s job?

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:00:17 +0100

George Galloway has announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the 2016 London mayoral election. Or has he?

The Respect MP said this week that he wanted to succeed Boris Johnson at City Hall and had formed a “committee which is seriously looking at the prospect of me running”.

Speaking after an interview with Russian television station RT TV, he went on: “I’d like to fight Boris Johnson, and I think David Cameron probably wishes I’d be fighting Boris Johnson because if I’m not, Boris Johnson is back in Parliament fighting him.”

But a spokesman for Mr Galloway later poured cold water on the idea. The MP had, he said, given a “not-too-serious response to a rather facetious question”.

An outspoken critic of Israel and Zionism, Mr Galloway stormed out of a debate at Oxford University in March after discovering that his fellow panellist had dual British-Israeli citizenship.

Adrian Cohen, London Jewish Forum chair, said: “It is difficult to think of anything that would be worse for community relations in our great city than a George Galloway mayoralty.”

BNP leader out of love with Israel

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:00:17 +0100

British National Party leader Nick Griffin visited Syria this week after being invited to take part in a “fact-finding” tour by President Bashar Assad.

Travelling alongside fellow MEPs, Mr Griffin repeatedly criticised the British government’s support for rebels in the civil war, and commented on wider issues affecting the Middle East.

He wrote that Israel wanted to “destroy all resistance to their Eretz (Greater) Israel [by] ethnic cleansing of Palestinian land, to isolate Iran prior to launching another war there, and to reduce the whole Middle East into a howling wilderness of sectarian hatred”.

Mr Griffin had previously declared himself to be a supporter of Israel. In 2009, during his appearance on the BBC’s Question Time programme, he claimed that the BNP were the only political party in the UK which unreservedly backed Israel’s Cast Lead operation in Gaza.

In a series of posts on Twitter Mr Griffin also appeared to praise Hizbollah.

Asked by one Twitter user whether he had joined the Iranian-backed terror group, Mr Griffin responded: “Haven’t joined Hezbollah, though they are doing better job than the Met dealing with ‘British’ jihadi cut-throats in Syria.”

Mr Griffin also attacked English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson, claiming he was “openly out in favour of sending British soldiers to die in Zionist wars in the Middle East”.

He said “Zionist warmongers” were behind the EDL.

Before crossing into Syria from Lebanon, Mr Griffin had visited Beirut.

He said that the Lebanese capital was “less alien than the streets of London”, but that the traffic was equally bad.

Israel accused of selling British arms to Pakistan

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:00:17 +0100

Israel’s military establishment has denied that it sold to Pakistan weapons systems originally provided by Britain.

Details of Israel’s wide-ranging military export agreements revealed this week show that technology such as missile-jamming systems and radars were sold to countries as politically and diplomatically diverse as Australia, Turkey and India.

Military components obtained from Britain were also said to have been used in equipment sold by Israel to Pakistan, Egypt, Algeria, the UAE and Morocco — countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations.

The Israeli Defence Ministry and Pakistani military sources denied any deals had taken place. Confirmation of military co-operation between the two countries could threaten Israel’s relationship with India and cause domestic difficulty for Pakistani officials.

But details obtained from British government files by Haaretz show that in 2011, Israel requested weaponry and systems including radar equipment, electronic warfare material, fighter jet parts and targeting technology to export to Pakistan.

Between 2008 and 2012, Britain processed hundreds of Israeli applications for military equipment for use by the IDF or to be passed to other countries.

The Department for Business records the issuing, or rejection, of applications for permits needed for purchasing arms and military equipment. It rejected 52 Israeli requests over fears items would “damage regional stability” and be diverted to “undesirable end-users”.

A Department for Business spokeswoman said: “The UK takes its export licensing responsibilities seriously … Each assessment we make takes into account the intended end use of the equipment, the behaviour of the end user, the risk of diversion and the prevailing circumstances in the country concerned.”

The Israeli Defence Ministry said it would “liaise” with the British government “in order to receive the necessary clarifications regarding their official reports… It should be noted that Israel would not do anything that could undermine India’s security.”

England football bosses make emotional visit to Yad Vashem

Marcus Dysch — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:41:12 +0100

England manager Roy Hodgson and Football Association chairman David Bernstein have made an emotional visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.

During Tuesday's tour they discovered a book written by Jakob Wassermann, a relative of Mr Bernstein, which the Nazis had ordered to be burned.

Mr Bernstein told the FA website: "This is my third time here but it doesn't in any way dull the impact of this place, the extraordinary record of this extraordinary catastrophe that happened before and during the Second World War.

"It records the rise of Naziism in Germany, what happened, how it happened, how it developed, how the policy was setup by the Nazi regime.

"It's important that it's not forgotten and that history must never be allowed to repeat itself."

The FA delegation's visit to the Jerusalem museum followed a similar tour of Auschwitz made by England's Euro 2012 squad in Poland last summer.

Mr Hodgson said the testimonies, videos and pictures they had seen at Yad Vashem were "harrowing".

"The big question you always ask yourself is: how could so many people have allowed it to happen?" he said.

"This must be an incredible burden on the Jewish people to know this has happened."

Mr Bernstein said he was proud that the FA had "done so much to educate people about the Holocaust".

Another boundary hit as Belmont gets eruv OK

Marcus Dysch — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:10:45 +0100

Belmont Synagogue is the latest community to secure planning permission for an eruv and it is hoped the religious boundary will be operational in time for Rosh Hashanah.

Harrow Council’s planning committee approved the application last week, following a two-year campaign by the 1,100-member congregation. Funds were raised to cover the application process, construction and initial maintenance.

It will link up with the Stanmore eruv to cover an area incorporating Belmont, Stanmore and Canons Park, allowing the observant to carry items on Shabbat and festivals.

“This is really an auspicious time for our shul,” said Rabbi Elchonon Feldman. “We have taken a huge step towards building the Belmont dream of an inclusive, vibrant and modern community where all are welcomed.”

The council received just one complaint from a local resident who believed the eruv would “spoil the view from their property and would impede visibility of traffic”. In contrast, 128 messages of support included one from Harrow East MP Bob Blackman. Harrow concluded that the eruv “would have an identified benefit to members of the local Jewish community and have no unduly detrimental impacts upon the wider community or the character and appearance of the area”.

Eruv campaign chair Anthony Broza said: “The community has embraced this project from day one. We are delighted to be working together with our friends from Stanmore Synagogue to help create a larger eruv.”

Euro states oppose ban on Hizbollah

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:00:01 +0100

The Foreign Office has pledged to continue its campaign to convince EU member states to add Hizbollah to a list of terrorist organisations, despite opposition emerging this week.

Initial EU discussions on whether to proscribe the Iran-backed group in its entirety ended without agreement in Brussels on Tuesday.

Reports suggested Italy was among six countries to raise concerns over possible increasing instability in Lebanon if a ban is implemented.

Member states also requested further evidence of links between Hizbollah and last year's bombing of a bus in Bulgaria. They were not convinced by a Bulgarian investigation into the attack.

Diplomats believe, however, that with the biggest states backing Britain's stance, it is likely the EU will eventually add Hizbollah to the list. An FCO spokesman said: "We continue to believe our evidence is robust and strong."

Meanwhile, the new Socialist-led government in Bulgaria this week backed away from the conclusion of its centre-right predecessor that Hizbollah had been behind the bus bombing.

"The evidence we have is not explicit," said Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin, whose government took office last week.

CST ready to help Prime Minister David Cameron beat terror

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:30:00 +0100

Government plans to tackle extremism and radicalisation have been welcomed by the Community Security Trust.

Prime Minister David Cameron chaired the first meeting of a new anti-terror taskforce, called Terfor, on Monday, and told ministers more must be done to counter extreme views in schools, charities and communities.

Mr Cameron said he wanted the taskforce to “ask serious questions” about how to stop groups which incite hatred and violence.

There will also be a focus on radicalisation on university campuses, a topic which has repeatedly vexed groups such as the Union of Jewish Students.

The government would “seek advice from different individuals and groups who can bring real expertise”, Mr Cameron said. However, he added that there would be “no knee-jerk reactions” or “immediate legislative responses”.

It is thought Jewish groups such as CST, UJS and the Board of Deputies will be called on by ministers involved in the new taskforce.

Communities Minister Baroness Warsi, Schools Minister David Laws, and Business Secretary Vince Cable are all expected to play a leading role in investigating the roots of extremism in their relevant areas.

Mark Gardner, CST communications director, said the organisation would “look to make as meaningful a contribution as possible, drawing upon many years of experience and partnerships in areas such as campus and community relations”.

Mr Cameron told the Commons on Monday that CST was “an excellent organisation”.

“I commend the work that it does to keep people in our country safe,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that since coming to power in 2010 the government had used the Prevent counter-terror strategy effectively.

“We have closed down more websites and intervened to help many more people vulnerable to radicalisation,” he said.

“Since 2011 the Home Secretary has excluded more preachers of hate from this country than ever before through our Prevent work.”

But Mr Cameron warned of the threat of Islamist groups radicalising British teenagers.

“It is as if for some young people there is a conveyor belt to radicalisation that has poisoned their minds with sick and perverted ideas. We need to dismantle this process at every stage - in schools, colleges, universities, on the internet, in our prisons – wherever it is taking place.”

Nick Clegg under fire over David Ward discipline delay

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:30:41 +0100

The Liberal Democrats have been criticised for claiming the party would tackle racial discrimination while stalling on its own response to offensive comments made by one of the party’s MPs.

The Jewish Leadership Council said the Lib Dems had not done enough to deal with Bradford East MP David Ward after he said ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day in January that “the Jews” were “inflicting atrocities on Palestinians”.

The JLC’s condemnation came as Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg promoted a party report on racial equality in education and employment.

Mr Clegg said the party had a “proud history of fighting racism and discrimination in all areas of life”.

It was revealed last week that Mr Clegg and senior party officials had ordered Mr Ward to meet Jewish Lib Dems Lord Carlile and Baroness Neuberger to discuss his comments. The party was unable to confirm this week whether a date had yet been set for the meeting, "despite collective best efforts".

The JLC said it was “dismayed that sufficient action has still not been taken against David Ward”.

“Perhaps Nick Clegg should have included in the recommendations of the recent report a code for members of his own party. While such a report is commendable in theory, it serves to highlight the failure of the Liberal Democrats to fight racism within its own ranks,” a JLC spokesman said.

The 111-page report on race equality in education and employment is the first document produced by a special Lib Dems’ taskforce. The document focuses largely on minorities, including black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, but makes no mention at all of Jewish or other religious communities.

Mr Clegg said that recommendations in the report were not party policy and that he “didn’t necessarily agree” with the suggestions.

A Lib Dem spokesman said: "Nick Clegg has repeatedly stated his opposition to the statement made by Mr Ward, and that it is completely unacceptable and offensive to conflate criticism of the actions of the Israeli government with an entire people.”

The JC understands that senior Jewish figures in the party support a meeting between Mr Ward and the Peers but believe the case has been left to “fester” since January.

Mr Ward’s case is thought to have fallen down the pecking order over the past five months as the Lib Dems contended with disciplinary actions against former Cabinet member Chris Huhne, Lord Rennard and MP Mike Hancock.

There is also thought to be concern within the party that if Mr Clegg removed the whip, Mr Ward may seek to “jump ship” and stand at the 2015 election alongside Respect MP George Galloway, whose constituency neighbours Mr Ward’s Bradford East seat.

Mr Ward said last week that it was “inappropriate” for him to comment ahead of the meeting.

Chief Rabbi collects religious broadcasting award

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:49:25 +0100

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has been recognised for his contribution to religious broadcasting.

The Sandford St Martin Trust's annual broadcasting awards bestowed a special honour to acknowledge Lord Sacks's "significant" efforts "over many years".

Trustees at this week's ceremony said his contributions to Radio 4's Thought for the Day and the Reith lecture series proved he had "consistently delivered carefully chosen and beautifully articulated words which are the product of great learning and great wisdom and which appeal to those across religious faiths as well as atheists and agnostics".

Lord Sacks said: "Broadcasting forces us to share our faith with people of other faiths, or no faith at all. It has been one of the greatest privileges I have had over the years.

“I hope religion never loses its voice in the public domain, the voice of faith that we need to hear whether we agree with it or not; the voice that speaks to the better angels of our nature.”

Bishop of Bradford Rt Rev Nick Baines, who chairs the trust, said Lord Sacks's work was "remarkable".

He said: "He has not only been a Reith lecturer, a regular commentator on events, and an advocate for accessible religious broadcasting but, at a more personal level, he has helped keep the rumour of God alive on the World Service and on Radios 3 and 4.”

No arrests at Closer to Israel as volunteers help keep the peace

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:46:11 +0100

It took weeks of planning and required hundreds of volunteers, but the huge operation mounted by the Community Security Trust ensured Closer to Israel passed off safely.

According to CST, more than 250 of its members were brought in from across the country to police Sunday’s event.

Plans for the day were worked out at a series of briefings between Jewish communal groups and London authorities, including Scotland Yard, Westminster Council and the Mayor of London’s office, in the weeks leading up to the celebration.

Richard Benson, CST chief executive, said: "It was a fantastic team effort and I want to thank everyone who helped secure this key Jewish communal event in the heart of London. The day passed peacefully and the co-operation we received from so many of those attending was deeply appreciated."

The JC understands supporters of the right-wing English Defence League had indicated their intention to attend the event on online forums, but were advised that their presence would not be welcomed.

On the edge of the square, two anti-Israel protests, led by the strictly Orthodox anti-Zionist group Neturei Karta and Jews for Justice for Palestinians, each drew around 20 supporters.

Jews for Justice spokeswoman Diana Neslen claimed that Israel was a country "that’s in an occupation, that doesn’t negotiate in good faith for peace."

Pro-Israel activists spent part of the afternoon robustly debating points with the protesters, but with the two groups largely kept apart by police, no serious flashpoints occured.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force could not comment on the number of officers who attended Closer to Israel, but confirmed no arrests were made.

The largest group of non-Israelis present were 200 Turkish expatriates holding a entirely separate protest in solidarity with the demonstrators in Istanbul.

UK should do high-tech the Israeli way, say Labour shadow ministers

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:12:27 +0100

Britain should follow the successful blueprint of Israel’s high-tech sector to repair its battered economy, according to leading members of the Shadow Cabinet.

Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna said the “remarkable story” seen in Israel’s start-up technology industries could be combined with British skills to boost both countries’ global business appeal.

Mr Umunna was speaking at a Labour Friends of Israel event at Google’s Tech City campus in London. It used video links with teams in Tel Aviv and Lagos, Nigeria, to discuss “tech-cities” and start-up businesses.

Participants included experts from Google’s projects in Israel, the British Embassy’s UK-Israel Tech Hub, and Tsofen, an organisation boosting Arab Israelis’ opportunities in high-tech industry.

Mr Umunna praised the projects he saw during a Shadow Cabinet trip to Israel last year. He said: “We all share a desire to see more start-ups in Britain and need to see far more of that in our economy. We want to increase our trade and we are seeking to learn from others.”

The British government must set up more tech-hubs and do more to back young entrepreneurs, he added.

Liam Byrne, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “One of the most exciting things we saw in Israel was the risk-taking, high-energy tech culture. We have big lessons to learn.”

Mr Byrne said he wanted to create “trade corridors” between British cities which are home to global businesses and Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

“There’s the potential for a win-win with Israel where we take great ideas and energy and unite them with our strength in global business. We need to find ways we can make that happen faster,” he said.

Tsofen’s Smadar Nehab predicted that Israel’s highly-educated Arab population would play a key role in the next stage of high-tech growth.

Businessman and philanthropist Sir Trevor Chinn, who was part of last year’s delegation, said: “I’ve been going to Israel for 50 years and this trip was an eye-opener. Britain has people, similar to Israel, who are individualistic, clever and innovative. It could be phenomenal in this country.

“The government has to ease the way and we have to find a way to encourage people that it is worth having a go.”

Tuesday's event was chaired by former Innovation Minister David Lammy MP.

Chief Rabbi tells thousands at Closer to Israel : walk tall

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:29:29 +0100

Israel’s scientific, democratic and social achievements were celebrated by communal leaders at the Trafalgar Square party to mark the 65th anniversary of Israel’s independence.

Acknowledging the country’s development in the face of adversity was the theme of the day, with a focus on the fight against terrorism, medical advancements and multiculturalism.

Representing the government, Education Secretary Michael Gove told the crowd that he was “proud to be a friend of Israel and proud to be a Zionist”.

He said: “Over the past 65 years the Jewish people have built a home and it has been a light among the nations.

“These are difficult times for Israel, for the Middle East and for the world. Extremism and suffering visit every nation. Israel has achieved amazing things, its people are showing courage and we stand with you in your struggle for democracy.

“There are politicians in every party who are friends of Israel. It’s a cause that transcends party politics. Happy birthday Israel.”

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks received the warmest welcome from the thousands gathered in front of the stage.

He told them: “Israel has not had one day without the fear of war, or terror, or missiles, or worse, and throughout it all Israel has stood firm and brave and strong. Because of Israel, the Jewish people walks tall.

“If Israel is criticised by people who should know better, then we would still rather have Israel and the criticism of the world than be homeless and defenceless and have the sympathy of the world.”

Israel’s ambassador to Britain, Daniel Taub, said the country’s achievements were “remarkable”.

It was a land, he said, “with world-class universities and with more degrees per capita, more scientific papers, more medical patents, and more doctors — yes, think of the nachas — than any country in the world.

“We see a land where the road signs, the graffiti and the parking tickets, as well as Nobel Prize-winning literature are all written in the language of the Bible.”

Mr Taub took the opportunity to express gratitude to British Jews’ support for his country. “Today is a chance to pay tribute to all those here in Britain who have helped us along the way. Thank you for believing in Israel, for visiting Israel, for speaking up for Israel, for praying for Israel and for marching and being with Israel today,” he said.

The Movement for Reform Judaism’s rabbi, Laura Janner-Klausner, spoke passionately about “tenacious Jewish communities” and Israel’s “modern, vibrant democracy”. “Israel is our opportunity to make our future full of Jewish values. This is really something to celebrate,” she said.

Masorti Judaism’s senior rabbi, Jonathan Wittenberg, described the “courage, devotion and humanity” shown by the Israeli Defence Forces, and, on a less celebratory note, discussed the plight of Bedouin communities.

Union to stop Israel visits over boycott issue

Marcus Dysch — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:27:12 +0100

The GMB Congress has banned its members from visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories on Trade Union Friends of Israel-organised delegations.

Union members at the annual congress in Plymouth voted through a motion which said funding for participants in trips should be stopped because TUFI opposes a boycott of Israel.

A TUFI spokesman said the decision was “disappointing”. He highlighted the GMB’s links to Labour, whose leader Ed Miliband also opposes boycotts.

● Delegates at the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance annual conference dropped a planned boycott of Israel after discovering accusations about segregation of Palestinians were false.

A motion put before the union – which is the largest in Northern Ireland and represents 45,000 members – noted “the passing of legislation in Israel that effectively creates segregation on buses” as the basis for a boycott. No such legislation exists in Israel.

Nipsa withdrew the motion after being informed of the error by members who contacted Northern Ireland Friends of Israel group.

Lib Dem MP David Ward told to meet peers over Shoah remark

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:30:00 +0100

An MP who accused Jews of failing to learn the lessons of the Holocaust is expected to meet senior Jewish peers to discuss the offence caused by his remarks.

Liberal Democrat David Ward was condemned by politicians, Jewish groups and Shoah survivors in January after using his blog to equate Jewish suffering in the Holocaust with Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

After signing a Holocaust Educational Trust book of remembrance, Mr Ward had blogged that he was “saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians”.

The Bradford East MP subsequently apologised for the “unintended offence” but caused controversy by asking whether he could make the same remarks again using the term “Jewish community” instead of “the Jews”.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, deputy leader Simon Hughes and chief whip Alistair Carmichael had originally intended to force Mr Ward to meet the party’s Friends of Israel group to agree “proportionate and precise” language for his future comments on Israel.

But the plan was scuppered when the Friends group referred the case back to Mr Clegg, saying Mr Ward had not removed the original blog. Lib Dem Friends of Israel said this week that it had not changed its position over the MP.

A Lib Dem spokesman confirmed that the disciplinary process against Mr Ward has now been adjourned in anticipation of a meeting with peers Lord Carlile and Baroness Neuberger.

The Lib Dem spokesman said the party believed it was “unacceptable and offensive to conflate criticism of the actions of the Israeli government with an entire people. David Ward accepts this and has apologised for the inappropriate remarks he made in January”.

The meeting is expected to take place after Parliament returns from recess on Monday, although the JC understands there is no guarantee it will go ahead. Lord Carlile and Baroness Neuberger both declined to comment.

Mr Ward took to Twitter this week to ask his followers for “advice” ahead of the meeting. He declined to comment further when approached by the JC, saying it would be “inappropriate”.

Leaders want ‘concrete’ plan to fight terror after Woolwich

Marcus Dysch — Thu, 30 May 2013 14:30:00 +0100

Communal leaders were tight-lipped this week over possible new legislation aimed at tackling extremism and hate speakers in the wake of the killing of a British soldier in Woolwich.

Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed the government would review its counter-terror strategy and is expected to consider a range of new measures to combat radicalisation of Muslims.

Such moves would be welcomed by Jewish bodies which have long campaigned for a ban on extreme Islamist organisations such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, and for universities to crack down on radical speakers on campus.

But groups including the Community Security Trust and Union of Jewish Students said they were waiting to see “concrete proposals”.

There was a mass outpouring of support for interfaith and anti-fascist groups’ work in the aftermath of the attack in which Drummer Lee Rigby was killed on Wednesday last week.

Jewish leaders backed a campaign launched by the Hope Not Hate organisation to urge faith communities to work together, aimed partly at countering the anti-Muslim activities of the right-wing English Defence League.

Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks said: “We will campaign against the preachers of hate and those who seek to divide us and say clearly and in unison — there is no place for hate in Britain.”

Masorti Judaism chief executive Matt Plen denounced “retaliatory actions” against Muslims, and Liberal Judaism chief executive Danny Rich said the attack should “be a call to unite all decent people of all faiths and none”.

Leonie Lewis, Faiths Forum for London co-chair, and executives from the Board of Deputies attended an event held at a London community centre at which Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg praised diversity.

Board president Vivian Wineman said he had been in close contact with Faith and Communities Minister Baroness Warsi following the Woolwich attack. “What this incident has shown is that there’s a lot to fear from disorganised jihadis as well as organised jihadi groups. We are pleased the government is continuing to look at it,” he said.

Richard Benson, CST chief executive, said Communities Minister Don Foster had contacted the group the day after Drummer Rigby was killed to discuss possible community tensions and to pledge government support.

But Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, Baroness Warsi, Mr Foster and other government representatives all declined to speak to the JC about efforts to maintain community cohesion.

CST issued a security bulletin but said there was no information to suggest the Jewish community would be targeted. There have been no reports of antisemitic incidents directly linked to the Woolwich attack.

CST was among organisations that offered advice to Tell MAMA — the Muslim group set up to record Islamophobic attacks. It reported dozens of anti-Muslim incidents across the country in the past week, including petrol-bombing of mosques. The group said it had received messages of support from Jews in the aftermath of the attacks.