Opinion piece in newspaper -RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: The only purpose of these endless marches is to intimidate British Jews.

[floodlightonwhatisright]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-12878659/RICHARD-LITTLEJOHN-marches-intimidate-British-Jews-tolerate-hatred-streets.html

He raises some interesting ideas.

I don't think that everyone who attends these marches go on them to intimidate the Jewish community or to spread hatred. It is still our legal right to protest.
If the EDL members are allowed to march ( I find their beliefs outrageous) so pro Palestine ones should be too.

I don't think everyone who goes on them are intending to intimidate either, but I firmly believe a (significant) minority are.

But the thing is, the British Jewish community are intimidated. Massively. So maybe that's something for folks to think about.

I don't believe it is a significant minority. Jewish people also attend these marches. I have too.
I am intimidated by the EDL marches. Do I want them banned? No.

These marches have nothing to do with antisemitism and everything to do with stopping the massacre of Palestinians. Jewish people go to these marches too. Saying that the only reason people to go to these marches is to intimidate Jewish people is disingenuous at best.

Good thing it is an “opinion” as it is riddled with not facts posing as facts. Take this:

”But these demonstrators seem blithely indifferent to the mass slaughter of Israelis during the Hamas pogroms on October 7. In fact, some were taking to the streets of London even before Israel's counter-offensive had begun. Otherwise they would be marching on the Qatari embassy in Mayfair. After all, Qatar provides a safe haven for the Hamas leadership.”

Israel’s counter offensive began at 9:45am local time, which was 6:45am London time on October 7th. ZERO demonstrators were in the streets of London before the counter offensive began.

Secondly, Qatar was asked by the US CIA to set up diplomatic back channels and an office to be a mediator between the US and Hamas/Iran/ Hezbollah/Taliban and so on. Qatar’s “safe haven” is the neutral ground that the US has dictated.

“If they took a moment to engage their brains, they might realise that the only organisation occupying Gaza is Hamas. Israel pulled out of the strip 17 years ago.” Another false claim. Even the UN recognises that Israel occupies all Palestinian Territories including Gaza.

The rest of the Daily Mail “opinion” is rampant islamaphobia.

I'd quite forgotten that rabid old fascist existed. You couldn't make it up! That was your catchphrase wasn't it Richard. And rubbish about Ken Livingston giving prayer mats to lesbian nuns at taxpayers expense . Blimey O'Riley whatever next!

He’s wrong. I’m someone who was very sympathetic to Israel’s right to defend and have had massive rows with family members who are very very pro Palestine and have been on marches. The indiscriminate slaughter by the IDF is completely and utterly indefensible now. There may be a tiny minority who attend whose sole aim is antisemitism but they are very peaceful marches. Incredibly so when considering numbers.

I think it's just that many people can not bear to see so many dead, injured and traumatised children on a daily basis with no end in sight. They march because they want our politicians to use whatever influence they have to get it to stop.

Neturei Karta and JVL are not representative of the mainstream of British Jews.

And to repeat, the British Jewish community is dealing with a huge amount of fear. So you can either choose to engage with that explicit point, or you can continue to minimise our fears. It's not clear who the PP is accusing of "weaponising" antisemitism - Jews or the author - but the fact is Jews feel unsafe and frightened. That's not an "opinion", it's a fact, regardless of who you think is "weaponising".

This is what's happening in the climate being created by the marches, so I'm also not buying "disingenuous".

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/vile-letter-warning-no-one-31642307

@plusjamais What is it you're afraid of? Why does people marching in support of Palestine feel like an attack on you?

Dealing with fear is one thing

Using that to dictate other peoples actions is not necessarily the way to handle that fear

You think /feel that a minority of people at those marches hate Jewish people. most don't, and they won't suddenly develop a hatred of Jews from going on a peace march , the people who hate Jews exist even if the marches are cancelled ... it's an irrational focus

@braticus you weren't asking me but I'll weigh in. There were numerous examples of hideous antisemitic placards at those marches. They weren't the majority but they were there, and some people were arrested asa result. I find it pretty hard to believe that you're unaware of this.

There have been countless attacks of all kinds, and threats of attacks, aimed at Jewish people in the UK and elsewhere. Reports of antisemitic hate crimes have risen at an unprecedented rate.

I don't think it's that difficult to imagine why Jewish people might feel under threat in this country right now.

Using that to dictate other peoples actions is not necessarily the way to handle that fear

. it's an irrational focus

Wow. I'm out.

@braticus if you have seen some of the banners and posters calling for jihad and the destruction of Israel you surely understand why there may be fear?

If someone who represents the Jewish community is saying they are fearful then it's minimising to suggest they are not.

If someone came on and did This with regard to racism they would rightly be banned.

It may only be some. It might only be a few but a group of people calling for your demise is fearful. Because it's not an Israel thing it's a Jew thing.

This !

The article was also shockingly Islamophobic.

@MercanDede I will take issue with some of your issues...

Within 24 hours I saw cars in London driving round with Hamas flags celebrating the events of 7/10. That's sick.

The first March women were photographed in paraglider costumes with pictures on their backs. In support of the plight of Gazan's? Or celebrating murdering Jews in Israel. Sick.

Qatar can quite rightly house an office for Hamas but they also allow millions to be funnelled through them. They are complicit. Hopefully the proposal for Hamas to leave Qatar can only be a good thing.

Even the UN recognises that Israel occupies all Palestinian Territories including Gaza.

And? The UN? Israel withdrew and the combination of unwra and Hamas have meant only the corrupt and terrorist have benefitted. Billions in aid and they still rely on Israel.

Yea it's an opinion piece but there is a lot of truth in it!

@Livinginanotherworld you should complain!

@stomachameleon If Jewish people are genuinely afraid then I have sympathy for them. At the moment though, that fear is not more important than trying to stop the mass slaughter of Palestinians, which is why I believe the marches must continue.

@stomachameleon these are some of the posters that the police were looking to question people about. I don't see any calling for Jihad or the destruction of Israel. Have you got any photos?

Stand down, folks - your fears are unimportant. Braticus says so.

On that note, I will leave this unpleasant thread.

braticus I don't think anyone on this thread said the marches should be banned? I certainly don't think they should. But I am beyond pissed off at the studied indifference of so many on the centre left and left to spiralling antisemitism.

It's not new. I remember last time it peaked on the left, in the 1980s. But I entirely reject your suggestion that British Jews should just put up and shut up until the war stops. That is just utter self indulgence, particularly as marches in London are really not going to affect the outcome in Gaza, while the British Left putting its own house in order would actually be highly useful.

As for 'if' Jewish people are 'genuinely' afraid, why would we be lying, and do you tend to say this to other victims of racism?

It depends what we're calling antisemitism. Any criticism of Israel seems to fall under antisemitism for some people so it's hard to know if someone is genuinely concerned about antisemitism or if they are just using it as a way to deflect from genuine criticism of the Israeli government.