Banning a children's art work is extreme.

From BBC News

Often labelled an ultra-nationalist (he has described himself as "more right-wing" than Mr Netanyahu), Naftali Bennett is outspoken in his advocacy of Israel as the Jewish nation state and Jewish historical and religious claims to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights - territory occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war.

He has long championed the right of Jewish settlement in the West Bank (he was once the head of the Yesha Council, the political representative group for Jewish settlers), although he has said Israel has no claims on Gaza (from which Israel withdrew troops and settlers in 2005). More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, considered illegal by almost the entire international community, though Israel disputes this.

The fate of the settlements is one of the most contentious issues between Israel and the Palestinians, who seek their removal and the establishment of an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Interfering in, let alone halting, settlement activity is anathema to Mr Bennett, who considered the pro-settlement Mr Netanyahu as untrustworthy on the issue.

I agree: however the reason they don't is because massive complex forces are at work here in terms of political and cultural world forces.

Add to that the other peoples whose needs to be protected and our involvement needed are great: starving to death in Africa, largely ignored because its "Africa" - the Uyghur genocide in China: the continuing appalling daily lives in war torn Syria and other parts of the world: the murdering of those who object to the regime in Iran: the daily slaughter in Ukraine.

This is not an excuse, btw, these are reasons, all reasons that point towards big international forces at work.

In 1967 when the first incursions happened in Palestine, it occupied a major concern on the world stage, it's now one of many for deep concern. Recent attempt to broker peace have failed after days: its very clear we should shout and shout for humanitarian responses, and against the Israeli State's further incursions: but there are problems with having a current working government in Palestine.

Its all very troubling, because there is still anti-semitism in the UK. I truly would need to have a close look at the plates although I cannot imagine those putting on the show would have allowed anything anti-semitic to pass the boundary.

Whitewavemark2

Our focus should be on Netanyahu whose fascist policies are causing untold misery to a whole diaspora in Israel and suppressed population in Palestine.

His replacement is even worse.

I think it's outrageous that the pictures have been taken down for the following reason. " A display of artwork by Palestinian children at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London has been removed after a complaint by a pro-Israel organisation, which said it made Jewish patients feel “vulnerable, harassed and victimised”. "

It's been said before on here and elsewhere that there is a difference between anti Zionism and anti Semitism and many people (not on here) appear to be unaware of that. It's about time that less support was given to the Israeli govt and more to the people of Palestine.

Whitewavemark2

Our focus should be on Netanyahu whose fascist policies are causing untold misery to a whole diaspora in Israel and suppressed population in Palestine.

Of course they should which is one reason I posted the petition, because it seems to me that those policies are being allowed to influence British matters and that is very worrying.

Our focus should be on Netanyahu whose fascist policies are causing untold misery to a whole diaspora in Israel and suppressed population in Palestine.

Wyllow3

Glorianny many organisations outside political ones support Palestine and its children. UNICEF is involved - a quick google will show you how many organisations are involved.

My own one Quakers a faith group have always supported the cause from after the war and find schools and other projects like water. We also have local fundraisers and cultural actions.

I disagree profoundly with your comments from within the L Party, but this, as I said above, is not a thread for your personal vendetta on Starmer!

I know here are many organisations Wyllow3 and I applaud all their efforts. What I don't understand is why there isn't a political party in the UK speaking up about the appalling human rights abuses. The LP as a whole is doing its best but they seem to be having more and more restrictions placed upon them and more and more people who support Palestine are being silenced.
Like Kim Johnson who simply repeated the opinions of many organisations that Israel is an apartheid state, but was forced by the Labour whip to apologise
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/labour-mp-forced-to-apologise-for-calling-israel-an-apartheid-state

Yes Avalon the "compromise" was hastily conceived to "resolve" "a problem" at the end of WW2.

If you look at the original borders you can immediately see why the Israeli state moved to take the Gaza Strip in 1967. (Seaport access to mediterranean).

The Balfour Declaration came into mind so I looked it up and reams of information on setting up a Jewish homeland. When you read in 1919 90% of the population were not Jewish you realise it’s a likely recipe for disaster, as it’s turned out to be. They were originally thinking of setting up a Jewish state in Africa. It’s all very complicated but worth reading up on.

But there would be more of a voice if more people spoke up as we are doing here.

Glorianny many organisations outside political ones support Palestine and its children. UNICEF is involved - a quick google will show you how many organisations are involved.

My own one Quakers a faith group have always supported the cause from after the war and find schools and other projects like water. We also have local fundraisers and cultural actions.

I disagree profoundly with your comments from within the L Party, but this, as I said above, is not a thread for your personal vendetta on Starmer!

Wyllow3

Whitewavemark2

The FT is behind a paywall.

But you are muddying the issues.

The Israeli government is imo acting like a fascist dictatorship and I am very alarmed, and have been for years over the treatment of Palestinians and Palestine. I am absolutely conversant with the history and current situation.

However the Starmer issue has not been explained adequately imo and before I jump in with high dudgeon and criticism, I need a much better explanation than I have so far seen.

Agreed.

I feel its very inappropriate to link`your persistent anti-Starmer politics with the plates, which seem to me to be very good and bring the issues to light.

The whole issue has been brought to my notice by Jewish Voice For Labour whose website I have started to look at. Their concerns about Starmer and their vilification by the right wing of the LP seem to me to be a cause for concern. Without them I wouldn't have known about the art work.They seem to me to be fair and reasonable people wanting an alternative Jewish voice to be heard.
In your head the two issues may be entirely separate but in mine they are irrevocably linked. Yes we need a voice for Palestine and particularly Palestinian children, but there isn't any such thing in British politics today.

I remember going on demonstrations when the original incursions into Palestine started in the 1970's at uni and we had many students of Jewish origin marching alongside.

I was deeply disturbed, because I was brought up in full knowledge of the horrors of WW2 and to find those who had suffered so greatly then turning into expansionists.

You are right, there are many people of Jewish origin who are appalled about the far right Israeli Government from the moment they stared taking over Palestinian territory. what we have to watch out for in politics are those individuals - or political resolutions - who conflate being Jewish with being part of the Ultra Nationalism of the Israeli govern meant: and I've seen (and objected to) several such resolutions within the political sphere. As in a resolutions talking about "aggressive Jewish settlers"

We were in charge in Palestine after the war but left quickly after Israeli violence and bombing aimed at the British army.
It was our responsibility to see a fair transition and division of land but after we left inevitable chaos ensued and the Palestinians became refugees losing land and property and this land grab continues 80 years on. Check out the maps and see how this has happened over the years.
The country doesn’t even have a name now, it’s just ‘territories’. Two separate patches of land (West Bank and Gaza) completely surrounded by Israel with no rights or freedom of movement.
Read about the difficulty of getting 12 Palestinian women visas to come to the U.K. for a women’s conference next week.
Israel seems to have carte blanche to do whatever it will as no one wants to be accused of being anti semetic, Israel is powerful and does what it wants without apology or regret and the current government are even further right if that’s possible and does what it wants whether the world agrees or not, because it can.
I am sure many fair minded Jews are uncomfortable with how their neighbours are treated and hope that peace will one day prevail, Palestinians have waited too long.

Tragic situation.

within Gaza

I know someone whose photojournalist son was shot whilst trying to rescue a young Palestinian girl on a piece of wasteland within Palestine near the border fence. He was taken to an Israeli hospital where he eventually died. The Israeli's denied all responsibility and the only person within government who had the courage to help her was Jeremy Corben.. she wrote a book about it.. truly heartbreaking

nanna8

I guess they thought they were too political but then almost anything is political these days. What a shame, they looked pretty high standard for childrens’ art, too.

They are trying to cast doubt if it is the work of children. You need to read up on each plate to discover its significance which has made some Israeli’s twitchy. To us the symbolism is lost and it is just art. Personally I quite like them. Perhaps the hospital was not the best place to display them idk. If it’s an area with a large number of Jews who would recognise and be offended may be not.

The Palestinian problem is made much worse by the extreme religious parties holding the balance of power in the government and promoting an expansionist agenda. While that continues there is no solution, the Israelis will fight to the last Palestinian. Even Iran is cautious about antagonizing the Israelis, Egypt is being bribed by the US to leave them alone while that continues nothing will change.

That is the fault of a PR election system, Britain did not “give”the Jews a homeland they took it, they fought and won. After WW2 there was no appetite for fighting, at the same time India won independence, followed by the rest of the Empire.

and shared

Signed

Whitewavemark2

The FT is behind a paywall.

But you are muddying the issues.

The Israeli government is imo acting like a fascist dictatorship and I am very alarmed, and have been for years over the treatment of Palestinians and Palestine. I am absolutely conversant with the history and current situation.

However the Starmer issue has not been explained adequately imo and before I jump in with high dudgeon and criticism, I need a much better explanation than I have so far seen.

Agreed.

I feel its very inappropriate to link`your persistent anti-Starmer politics with the plates, which seem to me to be very good and bring the issues to light.

Signed

I guess they thought they were too political but then almost anything is political these days. What a shame, they looked pretty high standard for childrens’ art, too.