Author

Robert A.H. Cohen

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Jewish fears on British campuses stemming from activism against Israel represent an uncomfortable reckoning for young diaspora Jews who are unable to see or accept what has happened to Jews, Judaism and Jewish identity over the last 100 years under the influence of Zionist colonialism.

In Jeff Halper’s view, the elephant in the room of Israel’s immunity from criticism is the military-security connection. There’s no Jewish lobby in India or China, nor is Christian fundamentalist Zionism a political force in Thailand or Colombia. And what explains Saudi Arabia’s willingness to do business with Israel despite its long-standing criticism of the Jewish State?

Letter to the leading British Jewish organization protesting its denuncation of BDS: “Our relationship to the Palestinian people is the greatest issue the Jewish people and Judaism itself faces in this century. And we are currently making a spectacular mess of it. Your document is just one more example of that.”

Robert Cohen writes: In Britain, if you are a pro-Israel lobby group like We Believe in Israel, or BICOM or the Zionist Federation you have a tricky time ahead. If you are leading our religious or communal bodies from the United Synagogue to Liberal Judaism and of course the Board of Deputies, then you are now in a very serious fix. Here’s why. Bibi is back and this time he’s telling the truth. Expect to see turmoil in the ranks of the Jewish establishment, some soul searching among the rank and file and a clear fracturing of publicly voiced Jewish opinions on Israel. And about time too.