This week's postings at JfJfP.com

This week, September 7-13th, 2015 ends with a beginning: the start of the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShanah (lit. Head (of) The Year). Shana Tovah to all our signatories, regular readers of all faiths and none and the occasional visitor. Whether you are Jewish or not, religious or not, we hope we all share the belief that the Judaic tradition and common humanity enjoins Israel to treat Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel itself with justice, dignity and respect – and to stop blocking their advance towards being an independent sovereign state.

We start with two Rosh HaShanah greetings, one from JfJfP’s Executive Committee:
Rosh Hashanah – new year greetings

and one from the unique Robert Cohen with all his usual perspicacity, moral groundedness and knowledge of Jewish theology and traditions:
What is sacred today? The Holocaust, Jewish security, Israel

And for once, a communal memory of the danger of statelessness and need for asylum has touched the Jewish establishment all of whose parts have spoken out for the human obligation and moral duty of the British government to offer a refuge for Syrian refugees.
Jewish history propels welcome to Syrians

But if, like David Cameron, you believe that allowing the kindertransport of German Jewish children to Britain was Britain’s finest hour, think again says George Kerevan. As today, the ‘welcome’ was more mean-spirited than people remember.
UK’s unheroic record on desperate refugees

And while EU states are prevaricating over how many Syrian refugees to enter, some countries have made clear none is welcome.  One is Israel. The other is Saudi Arabia (and most of the other Gulf states). Explanation:
Why rich Gulf states don’t take in Syrians

After this, the stand-out article this week is by Jonathan Cook on Jeff Halper’s new book, War Against the People. Halper argues that Israel, with its experience of  keeping Palestinians under control, is now the leader in a ‘global pacification industry’. Read the article, read the book. All reviews for the website very welcome.
Israel shows the way in the global pacification industry

There was a politicaal event this week, a sort of touchstone for popular feeling about Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was on a brief visit to David Cameron – we doubt if a cross word was spoken. Most Britons were indifferent. There was a hostile demonstration and rally of about 400 people – and a very small pro-Israel demo.

In the hostile march a worryingly familiar problem was manifest: for some pro-Palestinians their enemy is The Jew and they swap one racism for another. The splendid Palestine Solidarity Campaign smartly stepped in with a statement that any form of racism, especially – in this case – antisemitism was unacceptable. This is consistent with what the PSC has always said:
Anti-Netanyahu rally attracts true critics – and cohort of antisemites

The pro-Israelis had no such compunction – they are not an anti-racist crowd – but the anti-Palestinian wishes expressed by some demonstrators merited no rebuke or apology from The Jewish Leadership council  who organised their rally (with Christians United for Israel claiming joint organisational status).
Foul mouths of Bibi fans

There was wide media coverage of the opposition to Netanyahu’s visit because the reputations of PM Netanyahu and Israel have  become such a primary issue:
Hostile crowd greets Netanyahu in London

A few days earlier, an unexpectedly large crowd marched through Cardiff to protest against the Wales-Israel round in the UEFA qualifiers.
Pro-Palestinians march through Cardiff

Borders as the key form of power in the MidEast is reflected in
Why rich Gulf states don’t take in Syrians
Demolitions to force all Bedouin out of Area C
Israel to build new wall against refugees
(Israel’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis)
Israel locks itself up in ‘jungle’
Israel’s latest wall, against Jordan (in case Syrians infiltrate) completes its isolation from its neighbours whom it despises. Thus Israel can continue its narrative, and fund-raising, on the basis that is surrounded on all sides by genocidal enemies. Psychotic.

Gisha, the Israeli NGO for freedom of movement has released its latest report on the prohibition of free movement and free trade for all Palestinian territories. When people say ‘Why pick on Israel’  the answer is here: Israel is a country largely peopled by Europeans and Americans which yearns to be part of the European free trade and movement agreement. But the ‘start-up nation’ is also a violent colonial oppressor. Its claim to have given Gaza its freedom is palpably untrue.
Idle claim of having let Gaza go free

Isaeli hostility to Europe has been well-documented (we’re all antisemites). PM Netanyahu has appointed a new official to advise on European affairs. Given the beliefs and the ignorance of this American adviser there is no likelihood that the Israeli government will grasp  why so many on all continents object to their Occupation. So presumably the appointment is for hasbara reasons, not true enlightenment.
Israel’s anti-Europe ‘expert’ who doesn’t bother to find the facts