Islam Channel Sponsors anti-Zionist Debate in London

LONDON - Informed, honest debate on the Middle East has been stifled because of a fear of being accused of anti-Semitism, according to the participants in a discussion hosted by the Islam Channel in central London on Thursday. The broadcaster is the largest Islamic television outlet in Europe.

The discussion, titled: "Why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism," was filmed against a backdrop reading "Zionism: The cancer at the heart of international affairs."

The discussion was chaired by Alan Hart, a former ITN and BBC correspondent whose latest book, "Zionism: The real enemy of the Jews" was recently published. He said, "The anti-Semitism card is something the Zionists have exploited to suppress debate."

He said the mainstream media had concealed "the truth of history" out of fear of offending Jews and thanked CEO Mohammed Ali of the Islam Channel for "his courage in widening the debate."

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Yeah, yeah, I know it's the JP, but I still thought it would be interesting to post.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150355528055&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

that Zionists have played the anti-Semitism card quite a bit. Interesting, especially when there was some question of admitting African Jews to Israel. Interesting, since an American Jewish friend of my husband's was denied entrance to Israel because of her anti-war activities back in the Viet Nam era.

do seem to see anti-semiticism where I don't think it's called for, but let me suggest to you that at least some of that type or reaction, isn't playing a card, but is the result of a deep psychic wound inflicted by the holocaust and thousands of years of persecution.

for many jews the conception and realization of israel was born out of anti semetism. If it wasnt clear before WWII (as is evident by the lack luster immigration to "israel", it was post WWII. Israel is not just a sanctuary for jews, but the rebirth of the "new jew" if you will, the jew who no longer bows his head, walks in the gutter, pretends he didnt hear....hopes it will pass over...he is the jew of israel that now stands up and defends himself.

hence when the criticism of israel goes beyond reason: "final solution" nazis, targeting children." (criticisms which one doesnt hear about for china or russia for instance,)...its a critisim of this "new jew"...the zionist jew.....thats why over the top criticism of israel is seen by many jews as anti semetism and why those who criticize israel with the nazi comparisons dont understand because they have "jewish friends"....

israel probably for most jews, is part and parcel of their identity, hence when israel is being called "nazi like" final solution like....it reveberates around the world ....and strikes many jews as the same dehumanization that is part of anti semetism

...and some of it is card-playing. Just as the Holocaust has left scars on Israel which explain (but don't justify) the heavy-handed and out of proportion responses to attacks, the same scars have been left on individuals. And it's understandable given that the Holocaust took Jews both within European countries occupied by the Nazis and Jews around the world by surprise. With the long history of persecution against European Jews (especially Eastern European), the warning signs were misinterpreted by many as another pogrom that would be weathered out. And by the time Jewish groups elsewhere in the world realised what was happening, it was too late, and they were put in the terrible position of trying to convince the Allies that the reports coming out of Europe were true and weren't more of the Evil Hun propaganda that the British carried out during WWI. So, because very few spotted the warning signs of the Holocaust, since then there's a tendency to try to spot the warning signs of another one. Those warning signs then appear just about everywhere, and if someone disagrees that something is Antisemitic, then that just cements the belief that just like the lead up to the Holocaust, no-one's listening and the disagreement becomes yet another warning sign. Even in this forum in the past, there's been claims that something (sometimes they are actually Antisemitic incidents or statements and sometimes they're not) means that Europe or the US is just like it was in late 1930's Germany. When it comes to claims like that, I do think there's a bit of card playing involved - either that or ignorance of the situation for Jews in late 1930's Germany. But when it comes to the trauma inflicted by the Holocaust, it'll probably be many generations before those scars are healed...

hosts an "honest" debate on the definition of anti-Zionism and how those bad, bad Jewish people are playing the anti-Semitism card to suppress debate.

How can the Islam Channel be "widening the debate" when only one side is presented?

...which was make accusations of Antisemitism to suppress debate. And in this case you've done it without bothering to check to see how factual the JPost claims were and by falsely claiming anyone on the panel was talking about 'bad, bad Jewish people'...

I found a link to some info on the presentation. It should be pointed out that the only reference to 'The cancer at the heart of international affairs' there was "the Palestine problem, the cancer at the heart of international affairs,..."

http://www.spinwatch.org/modules.php?name=4ncalendar&op=modload&file=index&type=view&eid=46

And yr attempt to make out that there's not different opinions amongst the panel is imo pretty lame once I checked out who were on the panel. Ilan Pappe is post-Zionist, the Rabbi from Neutra Neturei Karta would have been looking at it from a religious perspective, and I'm not sure about the rest. Maybe they should have invited a Revisionist Zionist along just to make you happy :)

btw, here's a link to IslamChannel. It looked pretty innocuous to me and not the raving hotbed of Antisemitism that you and JPost would have me believe...

http://www.islamchannel.tv/