[Marxism] Putting anti-Semitism in context

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://ellissharp.blogspot.com/
Linda Grant, Intolerance and Violence
The writer and journalist Linda Grant, who pops up all over the place 
defending Israel, recently had a long feature in the Independent (18 July ? 
if you missed it, you can catch up with it here). Grant interviewed Karen 
Worth, a Nottingham GP, who said

I don?t feel safe or happy to go on some of the anti-war or pro-Palestinian 
marches ? Recently I went to a Palestine Solidarity Campaign meeting and it 
was fairly edgy. There is anti-Semitism and it?s hard to know how you fit 
within the left. It?s hard to find a place where you feel comfortable.

Leaving aside the usual generalised slur of anti-Semitism, which is 
unsupported by any examples, I was intrigued by Worth?s claim that even a 
progressive Jew like herself doesn?t feel safe going on a march. Weird. 
Supporters of the Palestinians are thrilled when Jews turn up to lend 
support. The Jews from the religious community in Stamford Hill always get 
a very warm welcome from the marchers.

When I turned up for the national Palestine Solidarity march in London back 
in May, I noticed that a Zionist had turned up to register his dissent. He 
stood at the assembly point by Embankment station with his placard 
asserting that GOD GAVE ISRAEL TO THE JEWS. Later on this guy turned up in 
Trafalgar Square, standing in the front row, right in the middle facing the 
speakers. You might think that was a wee bit provocative. And what 
happened? Was his placard taken from him? Was he verbally abused? Punched, 
perhaps? No, none of these things. He was tolerated. He was ignored.

Cut to last Sunday?s rally for Israel organised by the Board of Deputies of 
British Jews, starring the Israeli ambassador and the Chief Rabbi. It was 
attended by some 6,000 fervent supporters of Israel and picketed by five 
members of the Jews for Justice for Palestinians group. Unlike the Zionist 
at May?s Palestine Solidarity rally, they were not ignored. One of the 
five, Deborah Maccoby, wrote afterwards:

The most surreal remark anyone made to me when I was on the picket came 
from a man who said to me: "I'm for peace and against terror, but I'd like 
to smash your face in."

A fuller report on Jews Sans Frontieres described how

a lot of them just ignored us, a few were quite polite and friendly, but - 
especially when they left at the end, when they were fired up with 
nationalism - a large number were extremely hostile and really very 
dangerous and we were very glad of the police presence. They tore up our 
leaflets, grabbed our placards and tore them to pieces, tried to tear down 
our banner (the police managed to prevent this) and I really think they 
would have torn us to pieces if the police hadn't been there - the police 
actually had to intervene twice to prevent physical attacks. They spat at 
us, called us "traitors" and accused us of being like concentation camp 
kapos and said they hoped we would rot or burn in hell. Two of us had come 
by car with another JfjfP signatory and a policeman had to escort us to the 
car (parked a few streets away) at the end because of the likelihood we 
would be attacked.

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