It is the story of how malevolent people, like Oxford University’s upper
class fool, one Alex Chalmers, deliberately confuse support for the
Palestinians and opposition to Zionism, with anti-Semitism.
class fool, one Alex Chalmers, deliberately confuse support for the
Palestinians and opposition to Zionism, with anti-Semitism.
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| Alex Chalmers – right-wing aspiring former Chair of Labour Club |
People like Chalmers
make a virtue of their racist ignorance.
The fact is that Zionism, the movement amongst Jewish (& non-Jewish) people for a Jewish settler colonial state was always a minority amongst Jewish people until WW2. It was seen as a
Jewish form of anti-Semitism because it accepted the anti-Semitic idea that
Jews did not belong in the nations amongst whom they lived, in the Jewish diaspora,
but only in their own racial state in Palestine.
Jewish form of anti-Semitism because it accepted the anti-Semitic idea that
Jews did not belong in the nations amongst whom they lived, in the Jewish diaspora,
but only in their own racial state in Palestine.
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| The spires of Oxford University |
Historically the Strongest Supporters of Zionism were Anti-Semites, Nazis included
That was why nearly all the worst anti-Semites supported Zionism historically.
For example Alfred Rosenberg, Minister for Ostland (Eastern
territories) and the Nazi Party’s main theoretician, who was hanged at Nuremberg
in 1946, wrote in 1919 that ‘Zionism must be vigorously supported in order to
encourage a significant number of German Jews to leave for Palestine or other
destinations.’ [Francis Nicosia, Third Reich & the Palestine Question, p.25
citing Die Spur 1920 p.153.]
As Nicosia noted, Rosenberg ‘intended to use Zionism as a legal justification
for depriving German Jews of their civil rights.’ Rosenberg ‘sanctioned
the use of the Zionist movement in the future drive to eliminate Jewish rights,
Jewish influence and eventually the Jewish presence in Germany.’ [Nicosia, TRPQ,
pp. 25-26.]
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| Israeli has legalised the status of three settlement outposts in the West Bank Photo: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti |
Indeed it is difficult to recall even one significant anti-Semite who didn’t
support Zionism.
support Zionism.
Zionists in turn returned the compliment. Jacob Klatzkin, the editor of the Zionist Organisation paper Die Welt and founder of the Encyclopedia Judaica wrote that:
If we do not admit the rightfulness of
anti-Semitism we deny the rightfulness of our own nationalism… Instead of
establishing societies for defence against the anti-Semites who want to reduce
our rights, we should establish societies for defence against our friends, who
desire to defend our rights. B. Matovu, “The Zionist
Wish and the Nazi Deed’ Issue, Winter 1966-7.
Uri Davies, ‘Utopia Incorporated’
p. 17.
What the wholly contrived Oxford Labour Club affair is about is supporting Israeli Apartheid.
It has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. As far as the pathetic Chalmers
and ilk are concerned it is perfectly legitimate to occupy Palestinian land for
50 years, to steal it, to shoot its inhabitants and of course to rule them
under military law whilst Jewish settlers are subject to another legal system
altogether. 2 different sets of law for 2 groups of people is usually
counted as Apartheid but despite being at Oxford, Chalmers is too stupid to
understand this.
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| Oxford University Labour Club votes to support Israel Apartheid Week |
Indeed it is worse
than the stupidity of an upper class idiot.
To equate opposition to Israel as anti-Semitism, it to assume that all Jews
are supporters of Israel and Zionism.
And that is certainly anti-Semitic.
The idea that opposition to Zionism is anti-Semitism is to condemn the Jews
who died in the holocaust as anti-Semites.
It is a fact that the overwhelming majority of Polish Jews were opposed
to Zionism. The majority party of the Polish
Jews was the Bund. In Warsaw, in the
last free elections, it took 61% of the vote and gained 17 out of the 20 Jewish
Council seats, compared to one for the Zionists. It is to blame the Jews who died in the holocaust
for their own deaths.
than the stupidity of an upper class idiot.
To equate opposition to Israel as anti-Semitism, it to assume that all Jews
are supporters of Israel and Zionism.
And that is certainly anti-Semitic.
The idea that opposition to Zionism is anti-Semitism is to condemn the Jews
who died in the holocaust as anti-Semites.
It is a fact that the overwhelming majority of Polish Jews were opposed
to Zionism. The majority party of the Polish
Jews was the Bund. In Warsaw, in the
last free elections, it took 61% of the vote and gained 17 out of the 20 Jewish
Council seats, compared to one for the Zionists. It is to blame the Jews who died in the holocaust
for their own deaths.
Israel is not a Jewish
state except in the same sense that Apartheid South Africa was a White
state. In other words, being Jewish in Israel
is to possess privileges that non-Jews do not possess.
state except in the same sense that Apartheid South Africa was a White
state. In other words, being Jewish in Israel
is to possess privileges that non-Jews do not possess.
Noni Csogor, the co-chair of Oxford Uni’s Labour Club who didn’t resign is not much better than Chalmers. She states that rising anti-Semitic violence in Britain is a problem. She assumes that it is rising whereas even the Zionist Community Security Trust’s latest report shows it has dropped by a third since last year, whereas the murder in the past couple of days of a Muslim preacher demonstrates which community is under attack – and it isn’t the Jewish community. Anti-semitism in Britain is a marginal prejudice.
I should add that about 30 years ago I spoke to Oxford University’s Labour Club. It was the most right-wing but also the most stupid Labour Club I have ever addressed. Among its members was the right-wing Times columnist Oliver Kamm. Kamm it was who asked the most imbecilic question I have ever had to answer. How he asked could Zionism be considered a form of racism if the Jews weren’t a race? My answer was short and to the point. By his definition, since the Jews are not a race, the Nazis too could not be considered racist! Kamm has since taken his wit and intellect to Rupert Murdoch’s rag.
The Labour Party is
apparently holding an inquiry into affairs at Oxford university Labour
Club. If Jeremy Corbyn has any mettle
then he will squash this contrived and planned affair. We will see if Jeremy Corbyn’s appeasement of
Labour’s Right continues.
apparently holding an inquiry into affairs at Oxford university Labour
Club. If Jeremy Corbyn has any mettle
then he will squash this contrived and planned affair. We will see if Jeremy Corbyn’s appeasement of
Labour’s Right continues.
Tony Greenstein
Chalmers says Oxford
student left ‘have some kind of problem with Jews’ and that club members’
attitudes towards certain disadvantaged groups is ‘becoming poisonous’
student left ‘have some kind of problem with Jews’ and that club members’
attitudes towards certain disadvantaged groups is ‘becoming poisonous’
Aftab Ali Student Editor Wednesday 17 February 2016
Alex Chalmers,
pictured, said senior club members have been expressing their ‘solidarity’ with
Hamas Alex Chalmers via Facebook
pictured, said senior club members have been expressing their ‘solidarity’ with
Hamas Alex Chalmers via Facebook
The
Oxford University Labour Club (OULC) – the largest student Labour group in the
country – has become embroiled in an anti-Semitism row following the
resignation of one of its chairs after the club decided to endorse Israel
Apartheid Week.
Oxford University Labour Club (OULC) – the largest student Labour group in the
country – has become embroiled in an anti-Semitism row following the
resignation of one of its chairs after the club decided to endorse Israel
Apartheid Week.
Co-chair
Alex Chalmers, a student at Oxford’s Oriel College, issued a strongly-worded statement on Monday which said he was stepping down from his
position because a large proportion of both OULC and the student left in Oxford
“have some kind of problem with Jews.”
Alex Chalmers, a student at Oxford’s Oriel College, issued a strongly-worded statement on Monday which said he was stepping down from his
position because a large proportion of both OULC and the student left in Oxford
“have some kind of problem with Jews.”
Despite
highlighting the benefits he received during his time with the OULC over the
past two terms, Mr Chalmers said the club was becoming “increasingly riven by
factional splits.” He added: “Despite its avowed commitment to liberation, the
attitudes of certain members of the club towards certain disadvantaged groups
was becoming poisonous.”
highlighting the benefits he received during his time with the OULC over the
past two terms, Mr Chalmers said the club was becoming “increasingly riven by
factional splits.” He added: “Despite its avowed commitment to liberation, the
attitudes of certain members of the club towards certain disadvantaged groups
was becoming poisonous.”
He
continued with a list of issues he had taken with the club: “Whether it be
members of the executive throwing around the term ‘Zio’ (a term for Jews
usually confined to websites run by the Ku Klux Klan) with casual abandon,
senior members of the club expressing their ‘solidarity’ with Hamas and
explicitly defending their tactics of indiscriminately murdering civilians, or
a former co-chair claiming that ‘most accusations of anti-Semitism are just the
Zionists crying wolf’, a large proportion of both OULC and the student left in
Oxford, more generally, have some kind of problem with Jews.”
continued with a list of issues he had taken with the club: “Whether it be
members of the executive throwing around the term ‘Zio’ (a term for Jews
usually confined to websites run by the Ku Klux Klan) with casual abandon,
senior members of the club expressing their ‘solidarity’ with Hamas and
explicitly defending their tactics of indiscriminately murdering civilians, or
a former co-chair claiming that ‘most accusations of anti-Semitism are just the
Zionists crying wolf’, a large proportion of both OULC and the student left in
Oxford, more generally, have some kind of problem with Jews.”
Oxford
University’s Jewish Society (Oxford JSoc) said it was “saddened” by the
anti-Semitic reports coming out of the club, but said it “stands fully in
support of Alex Chalmers’ decision to resign.”
University’s Jewish Society (Oxford JSoc) said it was “saddened” by the
anti-Semitic reports coming out of the club, but said it “stands fully in
support of Alex Chalmers’ decision to resign.”
However,
the society added how it was “unsurprised” by the news, and said this is not
the first time it has had to deal with anti-Semitic incidents within the
student left, adding how “it will not be the last.”
the society added how it was “unsurprised” by the news, and said this is not
the first time it has had to deal with anti-Semitic incidents within the
student left, adding how “it will not be the last.”
The
society continued: “It is a significant and worrying issue and one that, on
many occasions, Jewish students have felt that they are fighting alone. We are
grateful that Alex Chalmers has made the statement that he did and has brought
the issue of anti-Semitism to the fore in a way that Jewish students have so
far been denied.
society continued: “It is a significant and worrying issue and one that, on
many occasions, Jewish students have felt that they are fighting alone. We are
grateful that Alex Chalmers has made the statement that he did and has brought
the issue of anti-Semitism to the fore in a way that Jewish students have so
far been denied.
Noni
Csogor, remaining OULC co-chair and student at Corpus Christi College, said she
was “deeply upset” with Mr Chalmers’ decision to resign, adding that he was
also “right to highlight growing anti-Semitic violence in the UK as a major
issue.”
Csogor, remaining OULC co-chair and student at Corpus Christi College, said she
was “deeply upset” with Mr Chalmers’ decision to resign, adding that he was
also “right to highlight growing anti-Semitic violence in the UK as a major
issue.”
She
continued: “It’s also horrifying that Jewish students feel unsafe on campuses.
It’s unsurprising, given incidents like that at KCL Israel Society a few weeks ago, and I’m sure OULC members would join me in
condemning the silencing of Jewish students, who often have uniquely nuanced
perspectives on the Israeli state.”
continued: “It’s also horrifying that Jewish students feel unsafe on campuses.
It’s unsurprising, given incidents like that at KCL Israel Society a few weeks ago, and I’m sure OULC members would join me in
condemning the silencing of Jewish students, who often have uniquely nuanced
perspectives on the Israeli state.”
She
said Jewish students spoke on both sides of the debate on whether to support
Israel Apartheid Week, but added how the allegations of anti-Semitism within
the club are being taken “very seriously.”
said Jewish students spoke on both sides of the debate on whether to support
Israel Apartheid Week, but added how the allegations of anti-Semitism within
the club are being taken “very seriously.”
She
said: “I will be discussing, with my executive committee, how to deal with the
kinds of statements Alex mentions, and what concrete steps we can take in
future to preserve a club that’s been a safe haven for Jewish students in the
past.”
said: “I will be discussing, with my executive committee, how to deal with the
kinds of statements Alex mentions, and what concrete steps we can take in
future to preserve a club that’s been a safe haven for Jewish students in the
past.”
Labour
Students – the autonomous student wing of the UK Labour Party and the largest
political student organisation in the country – also said its members were
“deeply troubled” to hear reports of anti-Semitism at “one of our most
prominent Labour clubs.”
Students – the autonomous student wing of the UK Labour Party and the largest
political student organisation in the country – also said its members were
“deeply troubled” to hear reports of anti-Semitism at “one of our most
prominent Labour clubs.”
In
a statement, Labour Students continued: “We unequivocally condemn
any form of anti-Semitism. We are taking these allegations very seriously and
will do whatever is necessary to ensure every Labour club is a safe space for
Jewish students.
a statement, Labour Students continued: “We unequivocally condemn
any form of anti-Semitism. We are taking these allegations very seriously and
will do whatever is necessary to ensure every Labour club is a safe space for
Jewish students.
“We
are proud of the long history we have of working with the Union of Jewish
Students and the National Union of Students to protect Jewish students on
campus, and this will always be a top priority for Labour Students.”
are proud of the long history we have of working with the Union of Jewish
Students and the National Union of Students to protect Jewish students on
campus, and this will always be a top priority for Labour Students.”
The
University of Oxford has yet to respond to the Independent’s request for
comment although, according to The Telegraph, the institution said it “does not tolerate any form
of harassment or victimisation, including on the grounds of religion and
belief,” adding how it expects the entire university community to “treat each
other with respect, courtesy, and consideration.”
University of Oxford has yet to respond to the Independent’s request for
comment although, according to The Telegraph, the institution said it “does not tolerate any form
of harassment or victimisation, including on the grounds of religion and
belief,” adding how it expects the entire university community to “treat each
other with respect, courtesy, and consideration.”
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