We need to get our own house in order

There have been many reports about the rise of anti-semitism in Europe, especially since the recent war in Lebanon. But what about our own views towards "Arabs"?

Effi Eitam's recent comments don't worry me, there have always been Kahanists in Israeli politics, what is more worrying is the number of MKs who agree with him. We are right to be concerned about anti-semitism, but we also need to get our own house in order.

The deathwish of Labour's MPs

The willingness of Labour MPs to stab their leader in the back just goes to illustrate how out of touch Labour are with the public. Do these idiots ever ask themselves how they managed to win three general elections in a row for the first time in their history.

The Labour party may be relishing their opportunity to make Blair walk the plank, their ship will end up sinking with him.

You can't have it both ways David

David Cameron, the Tory leader has recently made a speech criticising Britain's "Slavish" relationship with the United States, whilst simultaneously condemning the tide of anti-Americanism that has swept Britain. It's a rather ambiguous statement when you consider that it's the anti-Americans who are largely behind the accusations of "slavishness".

Make up your mind David, which side are you batting with?

It sounds an awful lot like blackmail to me

Muhammad Abdul Bari, the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain has had the following to say to the Sunday Telegraph about Muslim terrorism:

"There are a few bad apples in the Muslim community who are doing terrible acts and we want to root them out," Dr Bari told The Sunday Telegraph.

"But some police officers and sections of the media are demonising Muslims, treating them as if they're all terrorists — and that encourages other people to do the same.

"If that demonisation continues, then Britain will have to deal with two million Muslim terrorists — 700,000 of them in London," he said. "If you attack a whole community, it becomes despondent and aggressive."

His comments sound an awful lot like blackmail to me.

The Armenians and the Jews

The Sunday Times reports that Armenians are among the most successful immigrants to Britain. Ara Palamoudian, chairman of the Armenian community & church council of Great Britain, said that: “Armenians have always tried to be self-sufficient and not to be a burden on any country. It could be the history of the Armenian people, the way their lives have been over centuries. They had to find shelter around the world.”

When you think about it, there are many similarities between the Armenians and the Jews. Both are small in number and have been without a State, both have endured a holocaust (but unlike our Shoah the Armenian genocide of 1915 is still denied by the Turkish authorities), and both have been forced to look after themselves and not rely on others.

Self sufficiency is a major plank of US immigration policy and it goes a long way towards explaining why the Americans are far more successful than Europe at integrating their immigrants. As Kennedy once said: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country...".

The collusion between the far Left and the Islamists

Last week, the all party parliamentary committee on anti-semitism released a report. Its findings, reported last week in The Times, say that an alliance has developed between far-Right groups and Islamist extremists who are united in their hatred of Jews, Israel and Zionism and are contributing to increasing anti-Semitism in Britain. The report criticises police forces for failing adequately to monitor anti-Jewish incidents. It calls on the Crown Prosecution Service to investigate why fewer than one in ten reported incidents leads to a prosecution.

The report found that Arabic translations of Mein Kampf and The Protocols of the Elders of Zion were stocked in Arabic bookshops in London. Of particular concern to the inquiry was anti-Semitism on campuses, with literature being distributed that called for the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel. The report calls on the Government, the media, academics, politicians and community leaders to understand and treat anti-Semitism in the same way as any other form of racism.

Unfortunately, an equally pressing problem is the sinister alliance that has been struck between the Left and the Islamists. No one has put this better than Stefan Bialoguski who wrote the following letter to the Times:

Sir, Anti-Israel activists perpetuate the myth that those who criticise the Jewish state are invariably accused of anti-Semitism (“Police accused of inaction as anti-Jewish alliance emerges”, Sept 7). This is ironic given that anyone who questions the racism, misogyny and aggression exhibited by thousands of Muslims around the world is clubbed with the word “Islamophobe”.

Contrary to the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into anti-Semitism, almost all the anti-Jewish propaganda that successfully influences mainstream society emanates from the Left, not from an alliance between Muslims and the extreme Right. Leftists of various hues regularly march with Islamic radicals and co-opt “peace” marches, anti- globalisation rallies and just about any cause de jour to condemn Israel and its supporters.

It should come as no surprise that the only matters on which the far Right and the far Left agree are their condemnation of Israel and contempt for Jews. The difference is that the Left usually gets away with it.