Anti-semitism in the UK

[Lolapusht]

Published yesterday I believe.

Evidence of anti-Semitism in the UK

Not sure if that link will work so…

https://x.com/nicolelampert/status/1944147294917439912?s=61&t=_cKTNp_TyAyzDViEOCJDFQ

Yes you should watch the Louise Theroux documentary @JoyDivision79 it's very good and does show Daniella Weiss in a terrible light. In fact, in typical Louis Theroux style, he lets her reveal who she really is.

I am never a "full in" supporter of anyone either. I can see different points of view in most situations including this war.

Have to admit though, my initial feeling that Israel were the ones that needed supporting after the 7/10 attacks has only strengthened since engaging with people on the subject on MN. But that's despite the Settlers who I will never support, and that settler in particular has some disgusting views.

Yes, I've seen that sort of claim made repeatedly on MN, which is why I have been too scared to revisit this forum for some time. For way too long, it was obviously just a kicking ground where post deletions, as well as the many outrageous threads that were allowed to stay, suggested more than just a difficult topic to moderate (although I can't imagine what a nightmare CITME must be to moderate!). I am quietly optimistic that MN are now aware of this and trying to keep it a bit more in check. There are still outrageous comments from people apparently unable to filter their Insta feeds, but I feel less anxiety that the forum is being fed directly from Sinwar/Haniyeh's press office. (Or maybe it's just that they are now dead!)

The CITME board can feel a scary place sometimes where even people with moderate views like me can be accused of the most awful things like not caring about the deaths of Palestinian babies etc. On a parenting site of all places! Too many people on here see life through a lens that is very black & white - you're good (because you're on our "side") or you're evil, basically.

I'm shocked at some of the comments that are allowed to remain, but also I'm relieved when certain comments are deleted - horrible personal attacks on people I can see are trying to debate in a reasonable manner - so I can only imagine how much worse these threads would be without the mods.

Sometimes I take a break from bothering to argue with the worst offenders who as you say just repeat stuff they see on their Insta feeds as if it's fact - while demanding extensive fact checking from anyone who dares to support Israel. We will never change them anyway as their ideas are fixed and not flexible. But then again, it's good that their views don't always go unchallenged.

What do people think needs to be done to stop the problem? My view is...

We need to look closely at universities and schools- I am not talking about censorship but departments across the country are anti British, anti Israel, and do not educate young people with a broad scope of information.

It's more like the Ideas of the socialist teachers and professors. Not just with this issue but everything. Trans debate went similarly - ideas of the teachers and unions trotted out as if they were the only acceptable opinion.

I think the charity commission should have a whole new department set up for ensuring student unions do what they are there to do, rather than being hijacked to extremist causes.

I think there should be a few big legal cases brought across the board by Jewish people for things like discrimination and hostile environments. A few massive, publicised ones so people learn it's unacceptable.

I think that the entire country needs to stop treating racism differently if it comes from a white person. Dr Shola for example is an obvious antisemite but she's lauded as a racism expert simply because she's Black. That has to stop.

I think Britain needs to stop putting itself down. Like, it did bad things in the past but the idea that it's the worst or that it must be punished are just ridiculous and breed hate for the country which attaches people to causes.

I think we need to educate really broadly on antisemitism. We already do that on homophobia or other bigotries but this one is left off.

I think something needs to be done about mass disinformation and media campaigns.

I think the UN must answer for it's decades long campaign of delegitimising Israel, perhaps even be defended and replaced with something else that no longer has the pretence of morality.

I think the Equality commission must act much harder, much faster and be funded much more so it can address the behaviour of organisations like Amnesty.

This is just a few things, but I think if we don't take steps then the power of west hating groups will continue to expand.

The new report addresses some of this I think. I haven't had a chance to read it in full.

I think @noblegiraffe is right when it comes to acceptable, ingrained anti-Semitism. It’s not the “Israel are murdering babies” type, it’s the “…but I mean, hardly surprising as Jews have all the money, right?” type. It’s always been there as an undercurrent in the background. Jews are allowed and tolerated but only the good Jews. Don’t complain, don’t draw attention to yourself, don’t point out when you’re the victim of abuse. It’s that type that is centuries old. It’s the avaricious, blood drinking, lying manipulators tropes that have been swilling around for millennia that the current balls out abusive type of anti-Semitic has tapped into.

I also think that in spite of having to deal with millennia of hardship and persecutions, Jews are perceived as being successful. No matter how much they are beaten, they will not stay down and that really riles bullies up. It’s also why they can’t be victims of racism. They’re white and then they’re successful! How can they be victims of racism?!

Israel is another level on. Not only were they given somewhere to live, they didn’t do it quietly and nicely. They drew attention to the fact that they were being attacked and dared to fight back. They clearly don’t care about international opinion (not much wonder as they are destined to be vilified regardless of what they do. Add to which their comms are shockingly bad) and keep living their lives. How many times did we hear it was revolting that Nova was held next to a concentration camp? What did they think would happen when the oppressed prisoners finally gathered the strength to resist their occupiers? Not a thought given to the fact that a huge number of the festival goer were peace activists and they were all basically a bunch of young people off their faces dancing at dawn. Israel is not allowed to dance. It is not allowed to live. It is not allowed to succeed. We here are horrified when we see bombs falling and people dying, for them it’s just a Tuesday. You cannot live in that sort of environment without keeping going. Unfortunately, one side focuses on living and the other focuses on death.

But never mind. 16 year olds can now vote so we’ll be getting lots of well-balanced voters who haven’t been exposed to radicalised pro-Palestine teachers popping down the Polling Station 🙄

By way of example (like we need one) I was listening to Erik Prince (of Blackwater fame) on Triggernometry and they were covering the Gaza war. Apart from the fact he had a low opinion of the Israeli government as they didn’t go with his suggestion of flooding the tunnels, he made a throw away statement that stayed with me. He said he’d worked with Jews for years, used to work with an oil company run by Jews so he understood how they worked. He made a point of saying that they owned the company but never got their hands dirty. They left that to someone else. Now, I can guarantee that if you said to Mr Prince “Whoa…that’s anti-Semitic” he’d be appalled that you could even think such a thing. He’s got Jewish friends, he worked with the Jews, they were great guys etc, etc, etc.

That’s the problem. That bit right there.

Oh absolutely it's always there in the background. It's why the antisemitic left's claims about Zionists match the antisemitic right's claims about the New World Order which match the tropes about Jews going back into history.

What I'm trying to say is that a lot of the left are coming to antisemitism via condemnation of Israel while not even really knowing that they are talking about Jews in a way that they have always been talked about. "I don't care that Israel is a Jewish state, why are you going on at me about antisemitism?" While they witter on about how Zionists control the media. They end up surrounded by (and producing) more and more overt antisemitism while denying that the blatant stuff exists, because of course their side are the goodies.

Yes, I see what you mean. And they get sooo defensive when you point it out because of course they are the anti-racists.

The irony of objecting (rightly) to anti-Semitic tropes and then doing EXACTLY THE SAME to teachers who no, are not a) all pro-Palestinian or b) pressing their views on students.

Brilliant post.

One logical issue I struggle with is this:

"How many times did we hear it was revolting that Nova was held next to a concentration camp? What did they think would happen when the oppressed prisoners finally gathered the strength to resist their occupiers?"

Nobody was stopping the people of gaza from having festivals, raves or parties. They were controlling imports and airspace, not parties.

She didnt say all teachers were pro Pal. But the NEU is overtly pro Palestian
Here is a link calling for workplace (ie in school) action
https://neu.org.uk/about/international/development-co-operation/young-people-palestine

And organising ways of advocating for Palestine in schools

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/17/union-tells-teachers-bring-palestine-struggle-schools/

https://unherd.com/2025/01/lessons-in-antisemitism-from-the-neu/ unherd.com/2025/01/lessons-in-antisemitism-from-the-neu/]]]]

NALTALT

At least 4 people on this thread have said the same, clearly not teachers as it’s categorically untrue. Maybe you should go away and think about why you object to people attributing characteristics to one group (in this case Jews) but then support them doing it yourself another (in this case, teachers). Teachers are constantly bombarded with these accusations despite the fact that what they actually do is try to get students to examine all issues critically and come to their own, reasoned conclusions. Also, considering the amount on the curriculum, there are few schools where these topics are even raised, never mind where students are being indoctrinated! In some religious private schools where there can be less scrutiny then unscrupulous practices can go on and students can be unduly influenced by the opinions of the staff (that goes for Jewish schools as well btw) but in the vast majority of schools this is not the case and it’s actually really offensive. Teachers work their backsides off for people’s kids, not to turn them into carbon copies of themselves but so that the children can think for themselves and of course, pass their exams - there’s actually very little room for anything other than the latter these days. Like any profession, teachers come from all backgrounds, cultures and political viewpoints and they are generally held to very high standards. It is true that young people are more liberal when they are young and more likely to be swept up in causes but that is because they are young and idealistic, not because their Maths teacher is telling them how to think. A little less hypocrisy from a few posters on here would be very much appreciated.

I take it you didnt look at the links.

I think possibly you're directing this at me. I've never come across this as a trope about teachers. I'm commenting on evidence based concerns.

Here's an article that's eye opening on this.

It absolutely must be stopped, a teachers job is not to push their politics on children and the problem here is not one off isolated incidents, this is systemic with main unions involved.

The same as going on at the higher education unions - I've read first hand reports of it going on and my own kids reported really awful stuff from uni professors.

https://unherd.com/2025/01/lessons-in-antisemitism-from-the-neu/

Ah sorry, didn't see others posted the same investigation as me. That chilled my blood to be honest.

I genuinely apologise if you've taken it this way as it wasn't meant. I was highlight an evidenced problem that I'm aware of and of course do not mean all teachers.

I'm a teacher. Not in the NEU. There are many, many teachers who wish that Daniel Kebede would stick to talking about teaching because that's what they pay their subs for. Conferences always attract the radicals.

Yes all the teachers I know loathe him.

Also worth pointing out that the vast majority of teachers are only in a union because they need it for legal support in case a pupil makes an allegation against them. The idea that most teachers even read the NEU magazine let alone take direction from it is pretty funny.

< I did say “radicalised pro-Palestine teachers” as opposed to “teachers” so was singling out a tiny, tiny minority who might think it ok. It was a throw away, tongue-in cheek comment and I apologise if it has offended >

Agreed
But - as ever - the extremists make the most noise and like to give the impression they speak for everyone