28. April 2017 - Free Speech on Israel Campaign:
Free Speech on Israel - the story so far
With the rightward swing of British politics at full tilt, human rights is going out of fashion. That shining moral ideal, which emerged from two world wars and, through universal declarations and legal conventions underpinned an entirely new and hopeful world order is now being viewed in many quarters as just another "politically correct" indulgence of the privileged liberal elite.
But if your belief in fundamental freedom and dignity for all people extends to the Palestinians then it is not just the risk of ridicule which hangs in the balance, but your livelihood and reputation too.
Although only scantily reported, and even more poorly analysed, a wholesale attack on freedom of expression is taking place right now, here in the democracy-loving UK. It is malicious, it is strategic, and it is well-funded. Public life, in all its many civic and institutional forms is being slowly and not always so subtly bound into an intimidated silence about one of the most systematically and criminally racist regimes of the modern world.
This short films summarises some of the key issues arising from this dangerous development through the work of, and by way of introduction to, the Jewish-led campaign group, Free Speech on Israel.
[ Video-Clip (ca. 15 min.) ] [ Free Dpeech on Israel ]
5. März 2017 - Jacobin, Jewish Voice for Peace:
The Uses and Abuses of Antisemitism
A conversation with Rebecca Vilkomerson, Rabbi Brant Rosen, and Jason Farbman
Campaigns to silence criticism of Israel don’t protect Jews — they endanger them.
[ mehr ]
1. März 2017 - CodePink, Ann Wright:
Israel’s Anti-Semitism Smears Backfire
Israel has often succeeded in silencing criticism of its treatment of Palestinians by calling critics anti-Semites and scaring politicians into canceling public events, but the tactic is now starting to backfire, writes retired U.S. diplomat Ann Wright.
An often-used tactic to squelch criticism of Israeli state policies toward the Palestinians is to call the criticism anti-Semitic. The sponsors of the event become afraid of the label, anti-Semitism, false as it is, and cancel the event to avoid any controversy. The tactic is used widely across Europe and the United States.
[ mehr ]
8. Februar 2017 - Ha'aretz, Nir Hasson and Melanie Stern:
Jerusalem Gallery Shuttered After Government Demands Cancellation of Anti-occupation Group Event
Israel's culture minister had asked Jerusalem's mayor to to stop the gallery from hosting Breaking the Silence; city denies politics was behind the move.
[ mehr ]
8. Januar 2017 - Al Jazeera:
UK MPs urge probe into Israeli plot against politicians
Al Jazeera reveals discussions between Israeli diplomat and UK civil servant to "take down" anti-settlement politicians.
Senior members of parliament have slammed comments made by an Israeli diplomat on plans to "take down" the UK's deputy foreign secretary over his criticism of Israel's settlement policy in the occupied West Bank.
Emily Thornberry, the Labour Party's shadow foreign secretary, called the statements by Shai Masot - a senior political offficer at the Israeli embassy in London - "extremely disturbing" and demanded a probe into the potential extent of political "interference" in the United Kingdom.
Masot's comments were secretly captured on film during a six-month undercover operation by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit, which reveals plots by the Israeli diplomat and a British civil servant to destroy the careers of senior politicians .
[ mehr ] [ Kommentar von Jonathan Cook ] The Guardian: [ 8.1.2017 ] [ 8.1.2017 ]