LONDON – The UK is already known as a hub for the delegitimization of Israel, but the situation is about to worsen. According to Ronnie Fraser, there is likely to be an upturn in anti-Israel activity on university campuses and among trade union activists
The reason is a landmark legal case, launched by Fraser himself, which he just lost. A freelance mathematics lecturer, Fraser took the University and College Union (UCU) to an employment tribunal for harassment, alleging that its anti-Zionist activity – including several votes on an academic boycott – crossed the line into anti-Semitism to the extent that the academics’ trade union was “institutionally anti-Semitic.” In a mammoth case heard over 20 days in late 2012, 10,000 documents were presented and 29 witnesses testified on Fraser’s behalf, including two members of Parliament. Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson also submitted written evidence.
The stakes were clear: win, and anti-Israel activists would have to be much more careful about the language and tactics they used. Lose, and they would gain some legal protection.
On the eve of Passover, the employment tribunal rejected Fraser’s case in scathing terms, clearly seeing it as an attempt to shut down debate on Israel.
“At heart,” wrote the three judges, “it represents an impermissible attempt to achieve a political end by litigious means.”
While the law protects race and religion, it did not protect Zionist beliefs or ‘an attachment to Israel,’ because they were not ‘intrinsically a part of Jewishness’
While the law protects race and religion, the judges ruled, it did not protect Zionist beliefs or “an attachment to Israel,” because they were not “intrinsically a part of Jewishness,” and the litigation showed “a worrying disregard for pluralism, tolerance and freedom of expression.” Calling the case a “sorry saga,” they regretted that the case was ever brought, and hoped it was never repeated.
For the leaders of Anglo-Jewry, several of whom testified on Fraser’s behalf, it was a considerable blow. In an interview with Times of Israel, Fraser says he was “saddened” by the decision, but three weeks on is stoical, buoyed by a stream of supportive messages from around the world.
He lost, he says, because the judges did not clearly understand what anti-Semitism is, particularly the “new anti-Semitism” which seeks to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state, not just the Jewish people.
Those who believe that Israel is not “intrinsically a part of Jewishness” probably do not understand Jewish heritage, he says. The problem is that there is no definition of anti-Semitism enshrined in British law.
“If I was to call you a dirty Jew, the police could take action. If I call you a Zionist and a racist, they won’t – it’s deemed to be political discourse. But Zionist is a substitute word for Jew.”
One lesson from the trial, he believes, is that the community must set, publicize and insist on its own definition of anti-Semitism – a challenge he is willing to take on himself. It must also reclaim the narrative of Israel being central to a Jewish identity.
“We have to define it as Jews, for ourselves. We can’t let other people define what Jews are,” he says.
Fraser, who founded and directs the Academic Friends of Israel group, was not always a campaigner. An amiable, mild-mannered son of Holocaust refugees in his mid-60s, he trained as an engineer and had no great interest in Israel until he joined the Board of Deputies, Anglo-Jewry’s representative organization, in 1984. He visited for the first time in 1990. In 2001, he became a math lecturer at Barnet College in the Jewish heartland of north London and the following year joined the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education, which merged with another group to become UCU in 2006.
While the majority of the union’s membership had and has no interest in Israeli issues, “a small number of activists on the left took control of the executive and made life difficult,” he says.
Initially Fraser found many like-minded people on Middle Eastern issues, but he became increasingly isolated as successive Jewish members (and a few non-Jews) resigned in protest at what they saw as UCU’s unreasonable focus on Israel/Palestine. Among the issues raised in Fraser’s case were repeated resolutions promoting an academic boycott; 1,500 messages concerning the Middle East out of 7,000 on the activists’ email list between 2007-2011; the hosting of a South African trade unionist who was under investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission for making inflammatory comments about Jews; and allegations of bullying at union conferences and meetings.
In May 2011, the UCU annual congress voted on a proposal to reject the working definition of anti-Semitism formulated by the European Union Monitoring Centre (EUMC) on Racism and Xenophobia, which categorizes several anti-Zionist arguments as anti-Semitic, for example claiming that the state of Israel is a racist endeavor. For Fraser this was a turning point. He believed UCU was “legislating anti-Semitism out of existence” in order to stifle debate about its anti-Israel activity.
By then he felt so isolated that he requested that another Jewish member accompany him into the conference hall.
‘The Union’s policies had ethnically cleansed Congress of people like me, so as an Orthodox Jew I was on my own’
“The Union’s policies had ethnically cleansed Congress of people like me, so as an Orthodox Jew I was on my own,” he asserts.
During the meeting, Fraser challenged members to take complaints of anti-Semitism more seriously: “Instead of being listened to, I am routinely told that anyone who raises the issue of anti-Semitism is doing so in bad faith,” he said from the podium. “Congress, imagine how it feels when you say that you are experiencing racism, and your union responds: stop lying, stop trying to play the anti-Semitism card.”
Prefiguring his sentiments about the trial, he added, “You, a group of mainly white, non-Jewish trade unionists, do not have the right to tell me, a Jew, what feels like anti-Semitism and what does not.”
According to one observer, this was met with “stony silence.”
When the UCU vote took place, Fraser counted just four votes against including his own, compared to around 200 in favor.
“It was personal,” he says. “It was a huge defeat emotionally. I was so upset by it. I’m not a very emotional person really – that’s why I can do campaigning – but I was really upset for three days. I knew then that something had to be done.”
That is when he decided to sue, aided by superstar lawyer Anthony Julius of Mishcon de Reya, best known as Princess Diana’s divorce lawyer, but also an expert on anti-Semitism who had long been involved in the UCU issue and even previously threatened the union with legal action.
‘It is my way of saying “never again”‘
In fact, Fraser’s emotions were on display again during the trial, when he was visibly tearful while taking his oath, and then again broke down explaining why he had refused to leave the union even as he believed it mistreated him: “I continued to put up with hurt and humiliation because my parents were refugees from the Holocaust. My mother’s parents, we think, died in Auschwitz as a result of the Nazi extermination of Jews and anti-Semitism. It is my way of saying ‘never again’.”
Over two days of cross-examination, UCU’s lawyer pressed him, and later other witnesses, on one point: Is there or is there not, within the Jewish community, “a range of views” about Israel? The implication was that opposing Israel does not make one anti-Semitic.
At the time Fraser seemed to occasionally struggle to formulate his answers. He now agrees that there is a spectrum of opinions, but says it is wrong to award equal legitimacy to “the views of a minority of anti-Israel, anti-Zionist Jews and the views of the majority of the community” who do support the Jewish state, since a connection to Israel is a central part of Jewishness.
He denies, however, that he wanted to curtail anyone’s freedom of speech, as the judges alleged in their verdict.
“The debate about the conflict can continue until the cows come home,” he says. “I only care about the point at which it spills into anti-Semitism, and then it’s personal.”
This is why the tribunal was wrong to suspect him of trying to “achieve a political end,” he adds.
‘This is not political for me, it’s not about Israel and the Palestinians. It’s about anti-Semitism’
“This is not political for me, it’s not about Israel and the Palestinians,” he says. “It’s about anti-Semitism.”
Fraser seems outraged by the judges’ suggestion that his case was “gargantuan” in scale, “manifestly excessive and disproportionate,” and a waste of the court’s time and resources. He returns to the question he asked the UCU delegates when they rejected the EUMC definition: “Imagine how it feels when you say that you are experiencing racism,” and are told, “stop trying to play the anti-Semitism card.”
While Fraser is still getting legal advice about whether to appeal the verdict, he says he hopes the result does not dissuade others from taking similar action.
“It was a very harsh decision, but we are pioneers in this, claiming institutional anti-Semitism. Maybe others will be more successful.”
He is dismissive of those who now claim that his case should never have been launched in the first place, saying that they did not complain at the time and are just reluctant to make a fuss, and insists that he has “no regrets at all.”
In fact, he hopes that at least one positive may come out of his case: that even if the anti-Israel activists are emboldened, the trade unions’ managements will be more transparent and more professional in dealing with their Jewish members’ concerns.
Despite everything that has passed, he intends to stick around UCU to find out. “I am going to be a UCU member for the foreseeable future,” he says. “If I give up, they’ve won.”
vivarto Said:
As the New Testament relates: “These twelve [apostles] Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: “The Kingdom of Heaven is near.”’” (Matthew 10:5-7); and: “He [Jesus] answered [to his apostles], ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’” (Matthew 15:24).
Christianity seeks to know G-d, not only through the Hebrew Bible, but also through the “New Testament”; and, in cases of conflict between the two Scriptures, the “New Testament” prevails in the eyes of Christians simply because that Scripture is deemed by Christianity to be the corrective and final Word of God. Consequently, to the extent that the Christian Bible distorts the Nature, Message and Expectations of the G-d of Israel it does not describe our G-d at all but another deity entirely — and it is this deity that Christianity recognizes and to which Christians pray.
@ dionissis mitropoulos:
I do remember and the reason I gave you the link was because it is a short concise even brilliant critique of the Israeli politi and from what and where it emanates. Once you understand our early and prehistory; understanding our present from that context makes sense.
@ yamit82:
You won’t remember it but you had posted a link and said a few things, which led me do some thinking and i made a comment about it in Dr Landes’ blog, and it earned me a praise from him!
http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2013/04/23/study-on-the-link-between-financial-woes-and-sensationalist-anti-israel-coverage-at-ha-aretz/#comment-631387
@ vivarto:
vivarto Said:
vivarto, yamit is not a defective personality. He is just very passionate. He is very close friends with Michael, that’s why he interjected.
vivarto Said:
In my opinion, yamit is perfectly capable of good logical thinking and not limited at all. I am an atheist myself, and subscribe to some liberal views but not to others. I think it is perfectly natural for people to think of me as a “liberal atheist”, i wouldn’t consider it a sign of a purported narrow-mindedness.
vivarto Said:
I fully agree on this, there are lots of anti-Semites to concern ourselves with, no point in us (pro-Israel people) to quarrel with each other. If i may observe, and without meaning to sound critical, i think that in the present discussion you were a tad more aggressive to Yamit than he were to you. Anyway, i am glad to have met you – atheists are scarce 😛
@ vivarto:
vivarto Said:
Hi vivarto. I would object to the labeling of such |Jews as “self-hating”. They don’t hate themeselves, they hate the Zionists. If you have a go at the site that Norman F did, you will realize what i am talking about. The guys have a serious (to the point of genocidal) hate for zionists, yet feel great with themselves and, especially, their moral standing. vivarto Said:
The Jews i am talking about are American Jews, they are not going through any particular hell, but i sympathize with your explanation as far as European Diaspora Jews are concerned. But i have come to believe that there are additional motivations for becoming an anti_Israel Jew, over and above the one you offered. There is an article in Dr Richard Landes’ blog, the Augean Stables, which i think you will find interesting:
http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2010/08/11/not-self-hating-jews-but-jewish-scourges-of-jews/
@ Robert:
Hi Robert, i am a Gentile like you. Concerning what you said about the motivating forces for anti-Zionism, you might find this article interesting:
http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2012/11/12/western-appetite-for-lethal-narratives-about-israel-moral-schadenfreude-and-replacement-theology/
@ NormanF:
I just came across your comments in m/w. They are probably going to delete any replies of yours that prove them wrong, as they did to me. The Shmuel dude has a bad habit of calling people “dishonest” out of nowhere. And Shingo will reply to you with such inane arguments as he has already done in his responses to you, secure in the knowledge that the moderators will save him from any inconvenient counter-reply. When they realize that you can do real damage to the bubble they live in, they will simply ban you from their site. Welcome to the m/w liberal intellectual fascism!
yamit82 Said:
Well, not really. They are still reading the Jewish bible which they call the “Old Testament.” They are still believing in Jewish prophets.
Most importantly they are following Jesus who was a Jew and who said “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (King James)
It is hard to claim that there is no connection.
Additionally, even though I don’t remember the sources now, I recall reading about the dialog between Christians and Jews throughout the ages and the impact that this dialog had on both the faiths.
@ yamit82:
I see it the other way, it is meant to eradicate Christianity. Acknowledging that Christianity is a Jewish sect is going to eradicate Christianity, not Judaism. Once Christians stop taking literally the fairy tale that Jesus but born from a virgin, and “Holy Ghost,” rather than being a normal man like the rest of humanity, Christianity as we know it will end. It will return back to its source as a Jewish sect.
There is no such thing as Judea-Christianity, but there certainly are shared values, and the term “Judeo-Christian civilization” can be used to the shared values on which the Western civilization is built.
How is this different from what I am saying. As far as I am concerned, this the ancient way of saying “stay united.”
I meant that at that time neither Israel nor Judea had the necessary military power to defeat Assyria. Just like in the year 70 and 130 Judea did not have the military power to defeat Rome.
Other measures should have been taken to preserve the Jewish nation. The hot-headed approach and fanatical belief led to the greatest disaster in Jewish history. Slaughter and enslavement of hundreds of thousands, perhaps over million Jews. Loss of the Temple, of Jerusalem and eventually 1800 years of most tragic refugee crisis in the world history.
@ yamit82:
You may not call it an attack, then it was was your judgment. In either case nobody asked you for one. I have reacted to you several times, at times in an unkind manner, but have not advised other participants about what I consider your deficiencies.
Also, I did not say “behind my back”, I said “almost behind [his] back,” since the message was not addressed to me there was no guarantee that I would see the message.
“Whatever the truth about original christianity and it’s Jewish root claims certainly from the end of the 3rd century they ceased having any direct or recognizable connection to Judaism.”
Exactly, Yamit. couldn’t agree with you more.
vivarto Said:
I did comprehend and responded, essentially that you don’t know what you are talking about, most of the time.
vivarto Said:
I made no personal attack. Devolin as a relative newcomer to Israpundit I believed needed some historical context about you which I provided. The rest was up to him. Nothing was said behind your back as you did indeed read it and respond. If there is a personal attack it is you attacking me and not the converse. When I agree with you I either remain silent or comment my agreement and when I don’t agree with you I say so and usually explain why. Criticism is not an attack and certainly not a personal attack, it is just criticism and disagreement of what you say and contend. Grow up!!!
vivarto Said:
A contention by some a theory by others but certainly not a provable fact. Judaism has spawned probably thousands of sectarian sects almost all non existent today. Whatever the truth about original christianity and it’s Jewish root claims certainly from the end of the 3rd century they ceased having any direct or recognizable connection to Judaism. To claim today that christianity is a sect of Judaism is an untruth and ignores and papers over the wide and unbridgeable gulf of difference between Jews and christians. Just like the common use by many christians who use the euphemism Judeo-christian values. There is no such animal and is in fact an antisemitic canard meant to further graft christianity into Judaism as a means of eradicating it.
vivarto Said:
And Elijah drew near to all the people and said, “Until when are you hopping between two ideas? If the Lord is God, go after Him, and if the Baal, go after him.” And the people did not answer him a word. I Kings 18:21
What? Explain yourself with specifics.
yamit82 Said:
The quarrel and division among Jews let do the destruction. The unnecessary division and mutual enmity between Judea and Israel weakened the Jews. You are a good example of a divisive Jew.
Other than that, it was the inability to create regional alliances, and lack of understanding of global power configurations. The same led to the destruction of Judea by Romans in 70s and 130s.
@ yamit82:
I am not surprised that this is not possible for your to understand. However I will explain anyway. There is no problem with joining a conversation, commenting, adding, arguing, agreeing and disagreeing.
What you are doing is something entirely different. Instead of concerting yourself with the conversation, you resort to personal attacks and not even directly to the person, but in the third person, almost behind his back. Truly a low behavior, but of course I should have expected that from you.
Your behavior here is just showing who you are. I feel really sorry for anyone who has to deal with you personally especially for your family. What a tragedy…
As for the theology, indeed there are some similarity between Islam and Judaism. Islam has inherited all the rigid orthodoxy. On the other hand it is also true that both Islam and Christianity are severely polluted by Paganism. It is more obvious in Christianity.
But just because Christianity is polluted by Paganism, it does not contradict that it is not a Jewish sect. As a matter of fact, both historically and scripturally it is. It developed out of a Jewish sect of Nazarenes.
Your points about that Jews and Arabs both speak Semitic language is irrelevant, as we are not discussing ethnicity, and linguistics, but ideology. Islam is not limited to Arabs.
Anyway, it is not my aim here to educate and arrogant schmuck. As far as I am concerned you can stay as ignorant as you wish.
“served with them in the IDF”
My posek served in the IDF, Yamit. A Bedouin saved his life. He also served in Viet Nam. You remind me of him. He once told me he was going to come up here to Canada from Michigan and kick my ass. I believed him (although he let me off the hook). I have nothing but respect for you, Yamit.
“My apology.”
Apology accepted, vivarto. My dad used to say, “It takes a real man to apologize.”
“Lets say I like some Arabs but detest Islam and like some Christians but hate Christianity.”
I hear you, Yamit. Me too, although I have no Muslim friends.
@ yamit82:
Well, Yamit, the only thing obvious is that you are arrogant.
As for my previous message, though it was formally addressed to you, I had no hopes of you being able to comprehend it. It was my way addressing other who may have had to read your comments about me. As for my self, regrettably I have no expectation of having an intelligent conversation with you.
@ vivarto:
If you want a private conversation go of line here and deal directly with whomever you want. This is an open forum where everyone has the right to interject whenever without restrictions. Not good form? Good manners? Maybe, but I’m into neither. You are preaching etiquette to the wrong guy (spit).
Defective personality? Look you piece of s..t don’t psychoanalyze me you ain’t got the qualifications nor the brains.
I know what you consider, you have said as much in the past but you are wrong it is not a Jewish sect and has about as much to do with Judaism as the difference between the moon and the sun. christianity is the polar opposite of Judaism.
http://www.hebrewsufi.com/similarities.htm
Islam is a religion as crazy as it may be. It maybe be a crazy religion with a lot of conflicting even irrational beliefs but as religions go it is a religion and it is unlike christianity, a monotheistic belief system.
Hebrew and Arabic are similar languages, they practice circumcision, practice Halal (Kashrut) have no graven images, practice charity, respect for their elders, modesty, hospitality to strangers, strict justice system literally an eye for an eye.
Some but not all common beliefs between Islam and Judaism:
1- There is ONLY ONE God.
2- He does not have any son or relatives or any partners in his Godship or divinity.
3- No figures or shapes or stones / wood should be carved to depict God and for the purpose of worship.
4- Both religions believe in Judgment day and resurrection of the dead.
5- Both religions believe that God rewards the righteous and punishes the evil.
6- similar tithing obligations
7 both emphasize deeds over faith
@ vivarto:
It is obvious and apparent that you understand nothing.
@ vivarto:
If you want a private conversation go of line here and deal directly with whomever you want. This is an open forum where everyone has the right to interject whenever without restrictions. Not good form? Good manners? Maybe, but I’m into neither. You are preaching etiquette to the wrong guy (spit).
Defective personality? Look you piece of s..t don’t psychoanalyze me you ain’t got the qualifications nor the brains.
I know what you consider, you have said as much in the past but you are wrong it is not a Jewish sect and has about as much to do with Judaism as the difference between the moon and the sun. christianity is the polar opposite of Judaism.
http://www.hebrewsufi.com/similarities.htm
Islam is a religion as crazy as it may be. It maybe be a crazy religion with a lot of conflicting even irrational beliefs but as religions go it is a religion and it is unlike christianity, a monotheistic belief system.
Hebrew and Arabic are similar languages, they practice circumcision, practice Halal (Kashrut) have no graven images, practice charity, respect for their elders, modesty, hospitality to strangers, strict justice system literally an eye for an eye.
Some but not all common beliefs between Islam and Judaism:
1- There is ONLY ONE God.
2- He does not have any son or relatives or any partners in his Godship or divinity.
3- No figures or shapes or stones / wood should be carved to depict God and for the purpose of worship.
4- Both religions believe in Judgment day and resurrection of the dead.
5- Both religions believe that God rewards the righteous and punishes the evil.
6- similar tithing obligations
7 both emphasize deeds over faith
****The Jewish people do not believe either in the god of the New Testament or in the god of the Koran. That being the case, it is ludicrous for us to insist that while we do not believe in their gods, they believe in our G-d. Unless the Jewish people wish to embrace the Gentile nations’ distorted conceptions of G-d (– the very sin which led to the destruction of the biblical northern kingdom of Israel at the hands of the Assyrian Empire: “The Children of Israel imputed concepts that were not so to HaShem their G-d …” (II Kings 17:9) –), we cannot continue to entertain the erroneous notion that Jews, Christians and Muslims all pray to the same G-d. For, although there is only one G-d, those who presently pray to ersatz versions (– simulacra –) of Him are merely engaged in avoda zarah (like their polytheistic and idol worshipping ancestors before them) rather than in the worship of the G-d of Israel. This Truth is reflected in the statement of the Prophet Zechariah, made concerning the aftermath of the future messianic War of Gog and Magog, that: “HaShem will be the King over all of the Earth; on that Day HaShem will be One and His Name will be One.” (Zechariah 14:9); and in the earlier declaration of the Prophet Isaiah, speaking in God’s Name, that: “I swear by Myself, Righteousness has gone forth from My Mouth, a Word that will not be rescinded: that to Me shall every knee bend and every tongue swear.” (Isaiah 45:23).****
@ yamit82:
I think it is quite unhealthy behavior to insert our judgments into a conversation between two other people. It is not only rude to me, but also disrespectful to Michael Devolin, as he is perfectly capable of making up his own judgments. Your meddling in other people’s conversations only reveals another unpleasant trait of your defective personality.
I share your sentiment:
I to detest Islam and Christianity while have friends afflicted by both of them.
The difference between me and you is that I consider Christianity a Jewish sect. Now Islam is a different matter, it is not even a religion, it is a Arab supremacist, colonial and imperial political ideology.
As for me being a
Well, the liberals don’t count me as one of them, as I oppose political correctness, multiculturalism, and pacifism. Likewise there are problems with the “atheist” label. While I reject all beliefs in God, I know beyond doubt that God exists, I just object to the notion that God can be known through beliefs. I also object to the notion that any book including the Bible, is “holy” or “infallible.”
As for my supposed lack of opposition to Christianity, it is very obvious; while historically Christians have murdered more Jews that Muslims, currently Christianity is substantially less antisemitic than Islam. Additionally, many Evangelical Christians are our strongest supporters. Why then should I treat them the same as Islam.
All of the above is written more for the benefit of other readers than your’s. As I consider you to be close-minded and rigid doctrinaire. Within certain limits your are perfectly capable of good logical thinking, however in my opinion, your limits are stronger than your intelligence, and I believe you will forever stay limited. According to your mind’s structure, you must fit me into your categories. So in your mind I will always appear as “liberal atheist.”
So be it.
Just remember that mutual attacks are not helping the Jewish people.
So it is better to refrain.
@ Michael Devolin:
My apology. I thought it was the “curious American” who wrote that.
Yes, I am willing to stand in solidarity with my fellow Jews, I even have compassion for the self-hating Jews. I understand the hell they have gone through and the hell they are living in.
I do object to the notion that acts of a single Jew, however disagreeable can ever justify antisemitism. And the post that I was replying to, appeared to be doing that. When someone says that, to me it appears that they are already antisemitic and are only looking for excuses to justify their antisemitism.
Anyway, it appears to be a misunderstanding.
@ Michael Devolin:
My comment to you is in moderation AGAIN 😉
Michael Devolin Said:
Forget him he is a liberal atheist and proud of it. Arguing with him is as productive as arguing with any fanatic ideologue. Anyone reading this blog over time and reading specific comments of CA would question his pro Israel credibility if they were truly Jewish. Non Jews might not grasp the same nuances and tells. You I and some others have caught his tells and nuances others not. Vivarto has little problem painting Muslims and Arabs with a broad brush but not Christians. That should tell you a lot. I have lived among Arabs, served with them in the IDF, employed hundreds over the years, speak (street) Arabic and have had some Arabs I consider as friends as I do many Christians.
As a Jew in a collective sense both are our enemies but in different ways and with different threat levels. Lets say I like some Arabs but detest Islam and like some Christians but hate Christianity.
Vivarto@
You withhold judgement on Curious American, a Christian and an overt anti-Semite, but you label me an anti-Semite and a Christian, and I am neither. You need to learn to stop being nice to your enemies and begin being nice to your friends. Such a change will be a giant leap for you as presently you cannot discern between friend and foe. One of the prerequisites of being a true Zionist (or so I’ve been taught) is not only the ability to identify the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people, but also the friends of Israel and the Jewish people. I agree with your ideas about Zionism (not that it should matter to you if you’re Jewish), but I am not impressed with your choice of friends.
Thank you very much, Yamit, for your kind words. I am honored by your warm welcome and I embrace any opportunity to defend Israel and battle antisemitism.
@ Michael Devolin:
Well, OK thanks for clarification; you are antisemitic, and you have every right to be antisemitic.
Still, I would request that Ted removes your from this forum. I respect your right to be antisemitic, and there are plenty places where you can be antisemitic. We just don’t like it here.
Here is the antisemitic part for your education:
You generalize your negative experience to a whole nation, or race, in his case Jewish nation.
It is just as if I said that all Christians are idiots just because I may hold such opinion about you.
Bye, and enjoy some other forums.
“I don’t know if he is antisemitic or not.”
You are part of the reason anti-Semitism is alive and well today. You are also part of the reason public vilification of Zionism is permitted in Western media.