THE spectre of anti-semitism is again stalking the streets, we’re told – and there’s no doubt in Squinter’s mind that as Israel’s genocidal assault on what’s left of Gaza continues, many Jews in Ireland and Britain are apprehensive. That’s because anti-semitism is A Thing, despite the opinion of some extremists on the left who presume to place themselves in the minds of others and assure Jewish people that their worries are groundless.
But while Squinter’s in no doubt that Irish and British Jews – many of whom are appalled by what’s being perpetrated in their name by Israel – might be reluctant to wear their kippah in public, he’s also in no doubt that the majority of those political and media commentators who shout loudest about the scourge of anti-semitism are only concerned about the problem as it allegedly pertains to people like Jeremy Corbyn.
The torrent of allegations of anti-semitism that ended the former Labour leader’s hopes of becoming Prime Minister was comprehensively switched off by the Ford Report and the documentary The Labour Files, which revealed that Corbyn’s real efforts to address the pre-existing problem of anti-semitism within the Labour Party were nobbled by his own comrades, some of whom in a group chat discussed stabbing him to death and what bladed instrument would be best for the job. (NB: None of them faced a word of censure.)
It’s a pretty mainstream position to argue that Israel and its Irish and British apologists routinely use accusations of anti-semitism as a weapon, just as it is to note that when said apologists are under pressure over the actions of Israel they claim criticism to be a direct attack on all Jews – even though huge numbers of Jews all over the world (including Israel) are marching against the Gaza bombardment.
Jeremy Corbyn’s hopes of running the country were dashed by hotly contested and unproven accusations of anti-semitism, but just how seriously Official Britain takes the problem can be seen in its attitude towards one Nigel Farage Esq., who this week trousered £1.5 million for answering the call of Ant and Dec to join them in the Australian jungle.
Six years ago when Nige had a radio show on LBC, he had a caller on who asked Nigel if he thought the so-called “Jewish lobby” was as dangerous to the United States as Vladimir Putin. Nigel immediately gasped in horrified shock, cut the line and apologised to listeners for the outrageous slur on the Jewish people. Only kidding, Nigel told him: “That’s a reasonable point.” The influential US magazine Newsweek headlined an article on the exchange ‘Jews Should Concern Americans More Than Russian Influence, Nigel Farage Says.’
Not surprisingly Jewish groups were horrified by the remarks. “Nigel Farage's comments about the role of a powerful ‘Jewish lobby' in America plays into deep-seated anti-semitic tropes about supposed Jewish control of government,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt told Newsweek. “This is fuel for white supremacists who exploit and spread conspiracy theories about ‘evil, controlling Jews.’”
That robust condemnation would have finished Jeremy Corbyn off on his first day as Labour leader, but not only has it not held back Nige in his racially charged bid for Brexit Britain National Treasure status, it has had zero impact on his appeal to the UK broadcast industry. Not only is he currently in Australia doing his toad-like gurn on an ITV light entertainment show for big bucks, in the years since that LBC exchange he has remained a firm BBC favourite on the Question Time panel.
Conclusion: Anti-semitism’s only a Bad Thing when certain people are guilty of it – or more correctly, alleged to be guilty of it.
It’s worse in the United States. Last week at a march for Israel/March Against Anti-Semitism in Washington DC, organisers gave fabulously wealth televangelist John Hagee a place on the platform to speak up for Israel – and to rail against anti-semitism.
Just the one problem: John’s quite possibly the most outrageously vile anti-semite on the planet. But where to start? Well, how about with the fact that John believes that Hitler was part of God’s plan? On Planet Hagee, Hitler was created in order to carry out the Holocaust because the industrial-scale slaughter of Jews would pave the way for the creation of a new Jewish homeland. Which made the Holocaust, John believes, “an act of God”. And Hitler, he further tells us, was from a line of “genocidally murderous half-breed Jews”– a background that made him ideal for the unlikely position of Founder of Israel.
The antiChrist – or the ‘Final Dictator’, as John calls him – when he comes will be a half-Jewish gay who will slaughter a third of the world’s population and “make Hitler look like a choirboy”.
But, here, let’s talk about Jeremy Corbyn again, shall we?
