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Jenni Frazer

And have no eyes to see

By Jenni Frazer, June 2, 2010

A 21-year-old American art student, Emily Henochowicz, took part in a demonstration a couple of days ago in Jerusalem, protesting against Israel's actions in the Gaza flotilla operation. According to the Associated Press, a witness said that Ms Henochowicz, from Maryland, had not taken part in anything violent, but she was on the receiving end of a teargas attack by Israeli soldiers who were dispersing the demonstration. In the event, appallingly, she lost an eye, and is now in Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital recovering until her family can take her home.

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Lib Dem used 'racist' tactics, says Kaufman

By Jenni Frazer, May 27, 2010

A furious Sir Gerald Kaufman has accused the Liberal Democrats of antisemitic attacks on him during his successful bid to be re-elected as MP for Manchester Gorton.

Speaking this week during the Queen's Speech debate, Sir Gerald, Labour MP for the constituency since 1983, rounded on the Lib Dems and told them they would "have to indulge in some internal house cleaning".

The orphans' picnic

By Jenni Frazer, May 26, 2010

It used to be said, as the old joke had it, that the definition of chutzpah was the boy who shot and killed both his parents so that he could attend the orphans' picnic.
I have a new definition: Christian Aid.
A press person for this charity is offering one-on-one interviews with people "who have spent months in Israel and the West Bank monitoring Human Rights Abuses".

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About time

By Jenni Frazer, May 14, 2010

The row that has erupted between 100 Jewish Jerusalemites and the Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel has a whiff of an accident waiting to happen. Sooner or later someone was going to challenge Wiesel's sentimental fantasy version of life in the Israeli capital, seen from the dreaming towers of his academic life in America.

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Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

By Jenni Frazer, May 11, 2010

A glorious moment on this morning's Today programme when James Naughtie finally wound up a contribution from Lord Ashdown with the admonition that the subject would be revisited, "Seriatim" - in other words, in sequence. Just delicious that nobody on Today thinks that the programme's listeners need a translation. From my point of view, Nemo me impune lacessit...

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The long and winding road

By Jenni Frazer, May 6, 2010

To my heart. This morning's interview on Radio 4's Today programme with Sir Paul McCartney was just magical. Macca for PM, say I.

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Here we go again: same old 'thrills'

By Jenni Frazer, May 6, 2010

I have said before in these pages that some thriller writers who start out well, all too soon find themselves in a trap, hidebound by the parameters that they have drawn for themselves.

This is most apparent with writers who have a regular cast of characters, whose foibles and general mishegassen have to be explained from book to book.

If you start out with a 35-year-old glamorous redhead, for example, with a bad cigarette habit and a Malcolm Tucker-esque vocabulary, as one of your principals, then you are more or less obliged to reintroduce her in every book.

Lest we forget

By Jenni Frazer, May 4, 2010

On Wednesday, I asked how long it would be before Gillian Duffy sold the inside story of her encounter with the Prime Minister to The Sun.
A couple of days went by and there was nothing in the papers and many commentators heaped praise on Mrs Duffy's head for being strong-minded enough to refuse blandishments.
So let us not dismiss lightly then the fact that Mrs Duffy was all over the Mail on Sunday at the weekend. And let us not confine the word "hypocrisy" to politicians. The fact is that the so-called "ordinary members of the public" are just as venal when the price is right.

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Oh, no. It can't be

By Jenni Frazer, April 29, 2010

1321: Gordon Brown does not seem to have learned enough from the unplanned broadcast of his comments about Gillian Duffy, the BBC's Carole Walker says. He failed to take his radio microphone off again after a brief walkabout in Manchester at the end of a day dominated by his unguarded comments. This time the camera crew stopped him to remove it before he said much more.

Make it stop. Please, please, make it stop.

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Place your bets

By Jenni Frazer, April 28, 2010

On how long it will be before Rochdale pensioner Gillian Duffy sells the inside story of her unfortunate encounter with the Prime Minister to The Sun...
According to the Sky News website, Mrs Duffy said she was "very upset" to have been described by Gordon Brown as a "bigoted woman," and appeared to accuse the Prime Minister of over-education "in using words like that." Perhaps he should have put an adjective in front.

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One happy little comedian

By Jenni Frazer, April 27, 2010

So pleased to see that the towering talent that is Mel Brooks has been awarded his very own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Now he's 83, it's not a moment too soon.

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Curiouser and curiouser

By Jenni Frazer, April 21, 2010

So, someone threw an egg at David Cameron - in Cornwall.
And that leader of the LibDems, what's his name, Nick Cl-egg, is also in Cornwall.
Just saying.

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By the way

By Jenni Frazer, April 19, 2010

This morning's Guardian front page pic of the People In Charge at Downing Street (ie not Gordo, sadly), showed a fabulous array of tie-wear - co-ordinated, I do so hope, by the wonderfully louche Peter Mandelson, resplendent in an unstructured summer linen jacket. From left, an unhappy looking Tessa Jowell (relieved of the necessity to wear a tie), then Miliband, in red tie, Mandy in purple, a wheezing and sweaty Lord Adonis in a green job, and, almost most splendid of all, Lord West (who he?

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If he had any sense...

By Jenni Frazer, April 19, 2010

The Prime Minister, in assembling the Cobra team to discuss the volcano crisis, would invite the Tories and the LibDems to offer their solutions. Would thus undercut Opposition moaning at a stroke, and show him as Gleaming Statesperson. If he had any sense. Sarah Brown, are you listening?

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Heart, bleeds, etc

By Jenni Frazer, April 12, 2010

Three Muslim extremists charged after attack on Galloway
Saturday 10th April 2010

George Galloway was set upon by a group of Muslim extremists while campaigning in East London this afternoon. Three men, believed to belong to the extreme sect Islam4UK, the latest name for Al-Muhajiroun, were arrested and subsequently charged with public order offences.
Galloway, who is standing in the Poplar and Limehouse constituency, was with a party of supporters in Watney Market around 3pm when he and his colleagues were first abused and then attacked by the group.

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Protesters disrupt Jerusalem Quartet broadcast

By Jenni Frazer, March 29, 2010

A lunchtime performance by the Jerusalem Quartet at London’s Wigmore Hall, being broadcast live on BBC Radio Three, was taken off air partway through the concert on Monday afternoon after protesters disrupted the event. But the musicians played on and completed the Mozart and Ravel concert programme.

Er, you eat it?

By Jenni Frazer, March 29, 2010

So yesterday I was mooching around the fruit and veg stands at my local Tesco, thinking what to buy without kitniot, and suddenly being inspired by the idea of rhubarb.
And three separate assistants did not know what rhubarb was. One stood aimlessly, peering vacantly at the lettuce, before admitting he didn't know what I was asking for. Another kept grinning foolishly and saying, "It's my first day," although my strong feeling was that he could have been there all year and still wouldn't have known.

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Work, work, work

By Jenni Frazer, March 26, 2010

Some of us were remembering our lives before the JC, and reminiscing, as you do, about some of the truly terrible jobs we once had.
One of us worked on the check-out at Safeways, sporting a badge with "My name is xxxx. Happy to help." Another worked as a waitress serving Jonathan Ross, Emma Bunton, Dennis Bergkamp (apparently a big tipper.) Another colleague got fired from a fish and chippie for accidentally defrauding the till (mainly because she couldn't add up).

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Interview: Nir Barkat

By Jenni Frazer, March 25, 2010

This time next year, if the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, is to be believed, the first railway line connecting the north and south of the city will open. Next year, too, a Jerusalem marathon will be in place, reflecting the mayor's own love of running. Thousands more tourists will flood in, there will be more cultural events ("last year we broke all records") and more job opportunities.

My hat

By Jenni Frazer, March 19, 2010

There was the Knesset, all set to pass the most stringent anti-fur legislation in the world, complete with an exemption clause so that Charedim could continue to buy and wear shtreimels, and applauded by Sir Paul McCartney for its humane approach and far-sightedness.
And now what? It's all off.

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