This week’s postings on JfJfP.com website
Obviously the dominant issue this week, January 12-18, 2015 – though it’s little to do with justice for Palestinians – was the attack on shoppers at the Hyper Cache supermarket in Vincennes, Paris, in which four Jewish people were killed. As Islamist thugs were also the killers of 12 people at the Charlie Hebdo magazine, many Jews in Europe have felt alarmed, not just about being the targets of jihadists, but also about the wider security of their homeland, Britain.
The Je suis Charlie response is problematic: it absolves the West of any responsibility for the chaos in the Middle East and has led to much expostulation about freedom of speech which confuses the freedom to be critical of religion with the abuse of racial stereotypes:
Whether or not antisemitism in Britain is widespread, and how you can tell, is also much discussed:
Stoking or calming fears of British Jews
Is it us, or them, or Israel? (letters to the press).
There are some organisations in whose interest it is to portray all European Jews as victims, for whom Israel is the only safe haven.
However Netanyahu’s uninvited appearance at the marche republicaine to re-iterate his call for all European Jews to make aliyah caused anger and ridicule:
Israelis ashamed at ‘Je suis Bibi’ show
European states are protecting Jews so don’t make aliyah out of fear
But while Muslim organisations are called on to denounce Islamist thuggery, establishment Jews who insist on identification with Israel, are never called on to denounce Israeli atrocities.
Jews should follow Muslims’ lead
While the Charlie Hebdo rallies are in the name of freedom of expression, there is little mention of the suppression free expression by Palestinians, enforced by both Israeli and Palestinian governments:
Mass arrest of youth from Hebron
Unions appeal against denial of their rights by Abbas faction
Peaceful protest, violent repression
Amongst the other postings for you to read, we pick out one which will bring sadness, admiration and a real sense of loss to many:
the Obituary for Mike Marqsee, JfJfP signatory and staunch participant in the British left. We also post several reviews of his book: If am not for myself: journey of an anti-zionist Jew.