To think that antisemitism now needs to be tackled in the strongest possible way?

[LucyWestenra]

The Bondi thread in chat was eye opening.

Forty pages and a lot of it whataboutery, excuses and vile antisemitism.

It’s disgusting.

It needs to be called out. It needs to be rooted out.

I feel so sorry for the Jewish communities everywhere. How can they possibly feel safe?

It is rife in politics, academia and in the unions. I don't know how we'd even begin to tackle it in the wider population when it is tolerated and encouraged within our institutions.

Come on, those of you who say I am being unreasonable, tell us why.

So true. I follow David Schwimmer on Instagram and he has posted some clips over the past few years that have honestly shocked me.

I've been concerned about antisemitism for a while, and made that clear on other threads.

But I don't think "Forty pages and a lot of it whataboutery, excuses and vile antisemitism" is an accurate description of that thread.

Double post.

The Jewish community in this country are massively productive, never cause any bother, get on with it, and are persecuted, enabled by our government.

I just don’t get it either.

I think it’s actually a broader question than that - which is what do western countries do about radical Islam and the number of angry young men being radicalised into attacking people in the name of Islam.

Jewish communities are a target because of the ongoing conflict in Gaza - but, there is a more general trend in terrorism against ‘the west and western values’, and in particular by young men originating from / second generations from a handful of countries.

I think it’s really interesting how Jewish people have been persecuted for centuries. The policies of 1930s nazi Germany were horrendous. Yet that’s not why we went to war with Germany. We sat back and watched that unfold. Why was that ?

I have met and had Jewish friends at various points in my life. I don’t understand the hatred.

if protesters object to the current Israeli Government and its actions, then make that clear in the protests. Many Jewish Israelis appear to feel the same, but are alienated by the protests because they chant anti Jewish slogans. If peace is the goal, that’s really important because those who want peace need their voices to be loudest.

I also think the closest the UK has got to what Israel is going through, is the IRA. I was a child during that time, and was so afraid of the northern Irish accent because that’s what you heard on the news when there was a bomb. Just think the fear on both sides in Israel / Palestine will hold back any peace. It’s so sad.

The government in Israel has done what it was always obvious it would do. And which has been pointed out, previously. Which is that it’s genocide has resulted, amongst other things, in nutcases worldwide who mistakenly believe they are taking revenge. I don’t support it, because I don’t support any violence, but I think that’s what’s happening.

I agree the Jews are being targeted at the moment, but I don’t see it ending there

I don't think that explains how we got to the point that large parts of the left gave up on class analysis and adopted anti-semitic standpoints to showcase their legitimacy as a progressive voice. What happened there?

How come people don't take terrorist revenge for atrocities, massacres and genocides in Sudan and Nigeria?
How come only revenge for events involving Israel?

I think that has to do with people being unable to separate Judaism and Zionism.

What about the Iranian Mullahs and the leadership of Afghanistan who believe that no women should have civil or human rights?
Do we blame our Muslim neighbours for that? Say they've got a target on their back?

In what way? Sorry i’m not on socials so curious. He’s jewish so not posting antisemitic stuff I hope?

I'm not a Liberal Jew, I'm an atheist, and even I know that the whole chosen people thing is an obligation to God not a top trump card.

my DD attended one of her good friends Batmiztvah parties recently at their local synagogue. They had to hire security ar the front gates. Security guards for a 13 year olds party. What is this country/world coming to? 😢

I hope you’re calling out the bad behaviour of everyone from whatever ethnic group you happened to be born into?

If you’re white / christian perhaps you want to apologise for the KKK lynchings in America?

Or maybe you feel that’s nothing to do with you? Because it’s people you don’t know and have no control over?

Making people who just happen to be part of the same religion or ethnic group in some way culpable for the actions of people they have nothing to do with, thousands of miles away is literally what racism is. Does that still need explaining?!

Yep. That’s why there was a spike in Islamophobia during the gulf conflicts.

I completely agree and I’m sick of it.

I know of a family who have been here since the 1800 and they’re leaving for Israel. They don’t feel safe, and that’s not right.

We don’t have to live like this.

@couldthisbethenewname

David Schwimmer will almost certainly have been posting clips in the context of calling out/criticising/drawing attention to anti-semitism, not supporting it himself.

I would disagree that our government 'enables antisemitism'. I presume in that sense you are referring to allowing the Gaza marches?

I am Jewish and attended several of them, as have other Jewish friends. I have got a different picture of them from what was painted in much of the press. We never saw any placards nor heard any chants targeting Jews - yet they've often been portrayed as some anti-Jewish hate fest where Jews would be abused or worse just for being in their vicinity which they weren't at all. Protesters were there to highlight the appalling violence Netanyahu's government was committing, and continued to committed despite the ceasefire, in Gaza.

I think in many ways things are being conflated - to me, extreme Islamist violence is a separate thing to antisemitism as we traditionally think of it. We can't compare threats of awful things like Bondi beach to the different awfulness of the Nazi regime which people sometimes seem to be trying to do. We're not at risk of having an extreme Islamist government in the UK for example (despite what Elon Musk thinks, he's an idiot). I think the government and security forces are doing their best to prevent attacks, and to discourage antisemitism.

I think the best solution is more community cohesion, interfaith work, and just getting people in some communities to simply meet Jewish people and see us as human beings.
.

I didn't see the thread in chat so can't comment on that. The Bondi beach attack was horrific, especially that poor little girl who was killed. 💔 I think it's incredibly difficult to tackle antisemitism effectively unless we can first define and recognise it clearly. Different groups are making this challenging. Some supporters of Israel are calling very legitimate criticisms of Israel antisemitism. Conversely, some Palestine supporters are framing genuine antisemitism as just criticism of Israel.
To deal with it properly, we really need a clear definition, but it seems like many people are muddying the waters for their own reasons.

It never does end with Jews 😥