The War On Britain's Jews by Richard Littlejohn

Broadcast channel 4. tuesday 9th July. 8-9pm.

This 'report' was a total and utter travesty of the truth, and merely a vehicle for Littlejohn's wild unsupported assumptions:
That "It's an open season on Jews in this country"
that Anti-semitism is: "the racism that dare not speak its name" (whatever that means)
that "opposition to Israel is the cause of most antisemitism."
that "You don't have to hate Israel to be anti-semitic - but it helps"..
that antisemitism is "the new AIDS ribbon.."
and the conclusion that "many have decided that my enemy's enemy is my friend."
And so many others my pencil broke under the bloated cliches. None with a shred of evidence.
 Where were the jewish organisations who had recieved hate mail from left wing organisations? Where was the comparison with the increases in other forms of racial attack, in particular against muslims?
 There was lots of evidence of antisemitism from the usual quarters, the outer reaches of religious belief and from the reactionary right, but none of any from the end of the political spectrum which Littlejohn needs to smear the most - people who will not support Western Imperialism and consumerism simply because Osama Bin Laden opposes it.
Since 9/11 it has been explained to dimwits like Littlejohn a hundred times that 'my enemy's enemy is not my friend' , and in spite of the total lack of evidence, they insist on hearing the opposite.
And then finally, he delivers his bonkers Smart-Alec Hypothesis Clincher:
"And what IF all british jews were 100% Zionist? That still wouldn't justify anti-semitic attacks."
No Richie, it wouldn't, but then any attacks would be more likely than ever to be anti-zionist in nature, rather than anti-semitic. And in this nationalist fantasy world, there would be no Jews in Britain to persecute, as they would all be in the Promised Land.
The only other shots in his locker were the old chestnut of the Finegold/Livingstone affair, which was never accepted as an attack on Jewish people, and definitely an attack on the antisemitic history of Associated Newspapers. And an amateurishly commissioned piece of graphics from micro-publication New Society. And 'slippage'. We heard a lot about how Anti-Zionism 'slips' into Anti-Semitism. But again with no evidence. There was some clipped video footage of the star of David being burnt, but as anyone who was there will testify, that was an isolated incedent, and very promptly dealt with by the marshalls. I saw it with my own eyes.
 Zionism is not Judaism. And the Jews are not Israel. Israel is a political, not a religious entity. The sooner Litteljohn learns that the better. But as he stands to make far more money from divisions than from solidarity and communication, you can understand why he needs to undermine any attempts at co-operation with the Islamic world (unlike the Washington government, which is now talking to Iran). Hence this unsupported tissue of lies about the peace movement pandering to Islamic fascism.
 The racial hysteria of the BNP and their counterparts in the Islamic world is a matter of record and action. Trying to find any evidence that progressive thought in Britain supports in any way any of the aims of these groups was obviously beyond Littlejohn. He tried to pull in Harold Pinter in his cause.. why didn't he talk to him, one wonders, instead of to third-rate lame-ducks like Nick Cohen, who backed the war in Iraq and lost and can never forgive those who knew better.
 As expected, this was a slimy little attempt to scupper understanding, and while wearing anti-racism, anti-mysogeny, and democracy on its sleeve, it supports a Zionist agenda which is intensely racist, sexist and authoritarian.
 As the orthodox Jews who marched in the hot sun from Stamford Hill last august said: "We are here for peace." The muslims who greeted them agreed. That was what the plight of the Lebanese people did. There is no reason why the plight of the Palestian people should not do the same thing. As long as creatures like Littlejohn crawl back under their stones and let civilised people get on with the job.