your words in your previous post-- his is an appalling record! and if this web site is to be believed, a worse record than say; China, India, North Korea or even the USA. --this might lead one to think you think Israel is the worst country. And if you think the US is a worse country than China or North Korea, I do not think there is much point talking to you about reality. In any case, media, esp. European media, are lying egregiously about the Arab-Muslim siege on Israel, of which the Palestinians are the forefront, and which is backed copiously and directly by Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab world in general. The Palestinians were offered a state directly in 1937, 1948, 2000, and since 2000 continuously, and were offered one indirectly at several other points, such as the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian agreement which the Palestinians were invited to join on the basis of recognition of their right to "self-determination." The Palestinians have always reacted to such offers with worse waves of terrorism and with reaffrimation of the principle of rejection of Israel in any borders--that is, of its existence. Classically right-wing Israeli figures like Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanhahu have come out in favor of a Palestinian state. Since 1993, Israel has given the Palestinians of the territories their own govt.--you must, somewhere, have noticed that. They have their own police, courts, education system, and run their own lives in every way with complete freedom of religious expression (for Muslims, that is--for Christians living under Muslim rule in the Palestinian Authority, it's a different matter). The ongoing Israeli military presence in these areas is for the purpose of stopping suicide bombings in Israeli buses and restaurants. Last summer Israel entirely evacuated the Gaza STrip and removed every last Israeli civilian and soldier who was there. The Palestinians there have reacted with an ongoing artillery bombardment against Israeli civilians living near Gaza. From 1948 to 1967 Israel had no presence whatsoever in the West Bank and Gaza. It captured them in the 1967 war when its Arab adversaries massed armies on its borders and openly and explicitly declared their aim to be israel's extermination. Resolution 242 of the UN requires Israel to withdraw from "lands" that it captured in that war but not all of the lands--and to withdraw only on the basis of a peace treaty granting full recognition of its right to insist in secure borders. Israel has already withdrawn completely from the entire Sinai Peninsula and from Gaza. Israel is a parliamentary democracy with a vibrant press, opposition parties, arab political parties, full rights for Jewish and non-Jewish citizens. A glance--and I mean a glance--at this website would be enough to demonstrate this democratic, pluralist nature to any unbiased person and the dramatic difference between israel and countries like China. Yes, the UN has passed many anti-Israeli resolutions, based on a political bloc that includes the entire Arab and Muslim worlds, and Third World and European countries subservient to their oil power. Ringing anti-Israeli denunciations have been delivered at the UN by Yasser Arafat and Idi Amin and other paragons of virtue. If, living in Britain, you cannot figure out that Israel is part of the embatlled West that values freedom and democracy, and your real enemies are jihadist aggressors bent on destroying israel, Britain, and the entire West and subjugating them to Islam--your reality-disconnect is total and unfortunate. But of course you may well be a jihadist from the sound of it.

Make them pay heavily for their hatred of Jews. There should be a high price for their vile actions. The American Christians and Jews must respond!

My experience with YNet Talk Back is any Criticism of Israel... Israeli People.. Jews of any kind ...is Invariably met with accusasions of Antisemitism... To hold any view that is Pro Palestinian is met with the reaction of hatred of Jews etc. So Now I wear this Antisemite tag that I have earned Like a bright and Shinning Star. Im a Complete Antisemite... and PROUD

The passing impression of M. Twain is not a statistic : not only, you have the 1922 census (when there was no economic reason for an arab migration) but you have the ottoman census of 1878. Yes, this last one is far from perfect but it states very clearly that there were more than 400 000 inhabitants before the alya started.

As someone who is just repeating the claims of the international media you should read the following article of Stan Goodenough: Leftwing Haaretz never gets to tired to present authors who want to proof that Israel is a 'racist' and 'apartheid' state. And the fact that these authors are fellow Israelis and Jews is even more disturbing. It is funny that the same authors never criticize the Palestininians for their racist attitude towards Jews and Israelis which is especially shown in the fact that apparently for a true 'peace' Judea and Samaria and Gaza must be jew-free. Concerning this subject Stan Goodenough wrote an excellent article explaining why Israel certainly is not an 'apartheid state'. It is really worth reading: http://www.stangoodenough.com/2006/05/31/ignorant-intellectuals/

remember, when some time ago the geart Jewish Army, shoot dead an English journalist ? ... ohh .. yes it was an accident ... for your but not for the English people ... they reayy know what you jews are all about ... maybe by apologizing to the family of this journalist and paying some milions, you will be able to have some respect back, but remember, you are an apartide system like in South Africa and you are doomed if you don't wake up ... hurry my jewish fellows before it too late .... to cry

Remember what happenned July 7th? But of course the Brits are wimps. Little American girls can kick the ass of grown English men. So the fact that the Muslims are taking over England is not a surprise. Try that in America and you will get an ass-whipping you won't forget!

I know that all the lefties at this site will scream bloody murder, but really, I don't give a damn. I suspect that if the Brits (in particular the self appointed 'elite' in the country) suffer the same amount of terror attacks that Israelis do, then they will come around to a more 'pleasant' way of thinking. Their 7/7 was not bloody enough to make them stop loving the Islamic terrorists. They think they are in the clear, however, they are in for a rude awakening. Anyone who studies this issue knows that Britain is in for a long hard war, as is the rest of Europe. As I write this rest assured the Islamists are in their Brit supported mosques planning murder and mayhem. Couldn't happen to a 'nicer' bunch.

my boss and his sidekick are no threat. 2 people out a total of 1 million in a single city really isnt very much. mush like the BNP. They have 22 councillors on the whole of the UK where there is 22,000 in total. No very much indeed. as you can see on http://timesonline.typepad.com/david_aaronovitch I dont like the BNP and am very wary of people who refl;ect their sentiments. However they ARE NOT A THREAT. The uk is a very liberal place

of how we can misinterpret boycott from racism. no amount of recommending the post can change the fact that it is a post meant to show us, how we can take things too far. We can all get irate. But this issue that the academics are bringing to the fore need to be addressed. NOT a deconstructive witchhunt that potentially by order of the scale of inbalance causes a far more reactionary racist sentiment within Britain. No. Thats a no-win situation. You cant expect evry single UK academic to agree on the west bank, I dont particularly and im Jewish. Sure it pulls on my romantic Jewish heart strings. But Israel is enough for me. Back to the point. Racism in the uk is there, but its low. All that aside I still hate the BNP with the passion. study, the socioligist of the 70's "aint no black in the union jack" John Solomos i think, or was that "racism in Britain" or was that "Race, class and Britain". I think you all get the picture. Britain is a liberal place.

Yossi Melman,writing in Haaretz last week, reminds us that Israeli arms dealers run wild around the world, ruining Israel's reputation as a country. There is hardly a military conflict, ethnic confrontation or civil war where there are not Israeli weapons dealers, security consultants, instructors and protection squads to be found on one side or the other - and sometimes on both. They sell Israeli-made products, from Israel Defense Forces surpluses or other sources, to anyone who asks. It can be a bloodthirsty dictator, a militia commander or a chief of staff. Nearly every day, there are foreign delegations in Israel to buy weapons or know-how. They are mostly invited by arms dealers or security export firms that make sure to present them with the latest weapons systems - and for dessert, a meeting with the defense minister or top officials and officers, either former or still serving in the defense establishment. A reminder of just how senior a position Israel holds in the international weapons industry came up last week in a report by Amnesty International. True, Israel was not there on its own, but rather in the company of most of the world's developed nations. The report was meant to draw the attention of international public opinion to the fact that the weapons provided by arms dealers perpetuate conflicts, fuel wars, harm innocent civilians (including quite a few children) and help keep rulers who systematically violate human rights in power. Every bullet produced not only has an address, it also has a manufacturing plant and a sales and distribution chain. Tragically, that bullet and those manufacturing plants are increasingly, Israeli.

A succession of British Governments have made continued progress towards integrating articulate definitions of universal human rights into UK law and UK school curricula. But the Mass Media have continually failed to recognize that it is their responsibility – because they hold the reporting technology – to bring imagination for international organization to the British people’s attention. People are corporations as well as individuals and each has a role to play in making this world fit to live in. If the UK Mass Media would do what is expedient and report more on the nature and operations of the EU and the UN it would follow that the world’s imagination for internationalism would evolve and develop more maturely and sustainably than is the case for the present. Britain’s popular culture is hedonistic and libertine with sex, same-sex sex, drugs, rock’n’roll and the modern merchandize of celebrity. British popular culture rarely stops to think about who is responsible for the cultural antagonisms inherent in the Islamaic Fundamentalist Holy War. Rather than confront themselves to redress the balance of sophistication in British popular culture and internationalism people take the path of least personal resistance and find themselves siding with groups like Hamas. The terror attacks in London last year have compelled more people to support the Islamic jihad against Israel because the path of least resistance persuades people to believe this will dissuade the terrorists from acting violently here. The net product of all of this mass media incompetence and vile obsession with pubescent popular culture is that Jews and Israelis are held to blame for the world’s problems. Until the hedonist and libertine answers to the moralist and the family ethic – family of mankind – this sad, intoxicated and culturally illegitimate society will continue to fail in its support for Israel as a member of the international community. The international community does not exist in Britain as it could because the leading academics and the Mass Media are hooked on what they believe is popular culture. Do you see a vicious circle? I see every need for a security fence.

Have the Brits already forgotten Lockerbie?! Libyans blow up planes but Israel is the real evil one! Moslems bomb, behead, slaughter, lynch, burn, imprison and abuse Westerners but they're beace-loving, broductive beoble who are obbressed by the evil Jews. To left-wing, hateful, bitter Brits: wake up, take your heads out of your asses and smell the cordite! You're so obsessed with Jew hatred and Moslem appeasement that you can't see the Islamic tsunami that's coming. Get used to dhimmitude and the smell of explosives in the morning, every morning! London (and Manchester, Leeds and the rest of your hateful island) is going to rock. The Moslems are keen for a pint... of blood! STUPID BRITISH ASSHOLES!

Torah tetzeh m'Tzion!

I, like many British people, feel ashamed at the awful boycott of Israeli universitys and professors. You are right in saying the BBC do use anti-Israel, pro-Palestine propaganda. Many British people are sympathetic towards the Palestine cause because of media coverage but I don't feel this boycott is about anti-semitism or about the Jewish faith, just a pathetic protest about a confict they don't fully understand. I respect Israels right to be a free country but would you please respect that Britain consists of three nations, not just England.

I believe that those of us who live in the West (including Muslim dissenters) and those Arab Muslims in Arab Muslim jails know that a human rights boycot that does not begin boycotting every single Arab state in the Arab League is a racist boycot. The point here is: how do Jews, in and out Israel, defend yourselves? To begin with, Olmert gives the whole country away with no requirements. For every racist British campaign I can cite 4000 articles in Haaretz claiming the same and 3000 declarations from Peres saying the same. And instead of pointing out the lack of states in these campaigns (no Cuba, Sudan, Saudi Arabia boycots), Jews speaks endlesslñy about "peace, UN, (insert next nosense here)". Why I do not defend neither Israel nor the Jews anymore? because I do not see any of them interested on surviving. What I really do not know is: after so much Holocaust-pandering, haven't you realize yet they kill, boycot and erect racist policies aganist you not because of what you have or do, but because of who you are (Jews)? For gods sake, you do not have even an english speaking ambassador or FM.

Given that the ENTIRE PLANET (including God's self-elected chosen people, the Americans) is anti-semitic, why are you only singling out the British, out of hundreds of countries in the world? .......This is anti-britannicism! So, accomplishments of British (for Jews): 1) ENDED (along with the USSR and - to a lesser and merely token extent - the USA) the damn Holocaust 2) Ended the Ottomon Empire, thus sowing the seeds for a Jewish State 3) CREATED the Jewish homeland (no, the Jews did not kick the British out...that is historical revisionism and the British did not NEED to sign the Balfour Declaration) 4) Spread liberal-democracy and modernity all over the world (which just made the world a better place for Israel to exist in) 5) Gassed Arabs 6) Accepted loads of Jewish refugees from Holocaust to all the parts of the British Empire (it was limited, but a hell of a lot more than the Americans allowed) ETC ETC ETC - What has the USA ever done for Israel? Enslaved it as a mere US colony in the ME, caused instability in ME, has rampant anti-semitism (ESPECIALLY in the evangelical pro-israel segment), its per annum payment is neutralized by also giving it to Islamic countries as well (part of US policy of instability), spreads its ugly anti-semitic religion all over the planet (even among Jews), ETC ETC ETC What has ISRAEL ever done for Jews? NOTHING whatsoever, except degrade them as not fully Jewish (not Israeli), give Judaism a bad name, take take take money from jews around the world (why does such a rich country need this? they're ripping all jews off). Only one positive thing: They'll be there to take refugees when the USA finally starts its own holocaust, but I bet the Israeli leadership are so "westernised" that they'll probably refuse Jewish refugees as well!!!!!! ...there is NO nationalised or state-sponsored antisemitism. ...ALL antisemitism in the UK is with MUSLIMS and the LEFT-WING elite. The 90 or more percent (in USA, it's 99.9 %) of the population who are "anti-zionist" are braindead vegetables spoon fed by the left-muslim-axis-of-evil.......you can't consider such people, though, because they would just as readily be ardent pro-zionists if they were spoonfed it enough.

and I'm ashamed that the usual anti-Semetic voices are are from my part of the world (richard + ellen). The BBC is very biased, that is probably the best explanation for their one-sided view of the conflict. Either that or it's that Israel is full of Jews.

I'm not Jewish and have had the same thoughts as yourself. When are the majority of Jews going to realize that the Arabs don't want land for peace? They want to destory Israel and murder as many Jews as possible. Not all the Arab or Muslims but the vast majority do.

About 70+ million Americans are Evangelical Christians and they are super Zionist so your statistics are throughly incorrect. Tack on the Jews anyone else with sense and you have roughly tens of millions more who are pro-Israel. Then there is a majority who could care less about Jews or Arabs. American citizens are NOT pro-Arab like Britain & Eurabia. Radical leftist appeasers are fringe elements who appear larger than they are mainly b/c of ridiculous amounts of MSM attention. Proof is in the pudding, Americans elected Dubya for a second term. THe low ratings do not have to do with the Iraq war, as MSM would like you to think, but more with immigration and other domestic issues. We want the gov't to be TOUGHER on the war on terror.

As Ari and DPC write, I, too, am fed up to the back teeth with listening to how evil, corrupt and devoid of principles and ethics we Brits are supposed to be when our track record is as good as anyone's and probably better. We stopped Napoleon rampaging all over Europe (thus allowing the USA hegemony over North America). We ended the slave trade, long before America decided to have a civil war about it, Belgium broke all international law concerning it and France and the Netherlands continued to practise it. We brought democracy to large swathes of the world and this is called "imperialism" despite the fact that not one of the lilly-white liberals who decry our imperial past would survive ten minutes under such comparable - and "liberated" - regimes before being carted off to their deaths. We also tried to a put a stop to Hitler. Yes. If you remember, Norway was invaded when Sweden allowed Nazi troops to cross her territory. Denmark was over-run. The Netherlands collapsed. The Belgians and the French capitulated. Britain stood alone. Alone. We fought on and did what we could and America only came into the fray once Pearl Harbor had taken place and Britain could no longer effectively police the Atlantic for German U-boat patrols that were targeting American shipping. And you know what? We are criticized for Munich, for not bombing Auschwitz, and for not liberating the whole of Europe and America gets all the thanks and the corrupt, unapologizing pseudo-states of present-day Europe do not even apologize for the worst atrocities in the history of mankind... Why is there such a double standard in the world? Why is it that when Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum, ad nauseam, were all complicit in the Holocaust is it that Britain is singled out as having failed European Jewry? Why is it that having done our part at great cost to lives and livlihoods, we are criticized above and beyond all other nations? I think Britain has more in common with Israel than even the politically correct, right-on liberal Left dares to imagine: we are both singled out for everybody else's lapses of moral judgment, moral fibre and principled ethics. Why the Brit-bashing? Because like Israel, we don't just sit there on our collective tuchas warming our hands through the long foggy nights, we get up off them and do something. And the next time someone gushes over how the Americans liberated the camps we British liberated I will slap them - and hard.

I think dpc (#78) was being sarcastic. How can I put this politely? I agree with you that Europeans have no reason to lecture the English. The fact remains, though, that Britain, and not Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, or Albania, has an academic community that seems unanimous and hell-bent on demonizing Israel at all costs. England has also nearly singlehandedly messed up the whole Middle East. English pro-Arabism is such a cliche because it is TRUE, and we don't have to hear that Prince Charles walks around in Arab garb to realize this. Your "history lesson" is full of innaccuracies and inconsistencies. In general, when England has done something you expect us to praise, you trot it out as a sign of English virtue; but when, say, the US does something praisworthy, it has done so for merely political reasons. It's funny that the longer a country has been under the English yoke, the less likely it is to have prospered, or so it seems to me. I will single out one example of sheer nonsense: "We also tried to a put a stop to Hitler. Yes. If you remember, Norway was invaded when Sweden allowed Nazi troops to cross her territory. Denmark was over-run. The Netherlands collapsed. The Belgians and the French capitulated. Britain stood alone. Alone. We fought on and did what we could and America only came into the fray once Pearl Harbor had taken place and Britain could no longer effectively police the Atlantic for German U-boat patrols that were targeting American shipping." Please. Not only did the US (Roosevelt) support England years before Pearl Harbor, but THE NAZIS WERE PART OF YOUR BACK YARD, NOT OURS. Yes, England was admirable in comparison to France, et al., and certainly infinitely more admirable than Germany. But don't drag the US into your complaints. English academics seem to believe they are the moral leadership of the world -- a typically English delusion of grandeur. Well, since they see themselves as leaders, surely it is appropriate to single them out.

Ellen having Jewish friends is as ludicrous as suha arafat returning some of the billions yasser stole from the pali people

Just to add a couple of words to what sk said in his response. Roosevelte was a cunning and devious politician but he was also a giant statesman who could see way into the future, a long long way and basically that is why you and I are here today. It would add to your enlightenment if you inform yourself in depth as to the role of one Harry Hopkins, a man in the shadows, but another giant,a silent one.

get a clue alot of brits are anit-semitic you on the other hand are the wall was built for protechtion with LESS terrorist attacks you also frogot how hamas was respoible for killing and murding people and iran that wants israel "wipe off the map" you only fouces on israel insred the other countrys that force them to do so

I completly agree with everything you write. British Jews do NOT have their heads buried in the sand, we are very well aware of anti-semitism within our society. This anti-semitism however is low, and nothing like you find anywhere else including places like Canada from all accounts. 100 or so left wing members of a lecturers union voting against Israel is really no biggie, and completly expected considering their view of the world. You ask why this doesnt happen in other European countries? Well what kind of ties do academics in Belgium have with Israeli universities anyway? We British Jews are proud to be British and we are proud to be Jewish. So when people on this talkback start insulting our country it is as offensive to us as when Brits insult Israel. Please have some respect. P.S. I'm not sure I've made this clear yet but I'm completly opposed to this boycott, I'm just fed up of the Britain bashing.

Sorry, I actually dont agree with everything DPC writes. The USA is no way that bad, but I get the point your trying to make.

WHAT MORE DO YOUEXPECT FROM THE BRITISH MEDIA AFTER THEY READ THE SLANDER AND HATE OF THE SETTLERS AND RELIGIOUS IN THE ISRAELY MEDIA LIKE HAARETZ ETC

Sorry, I don't actually agree with everything I wrote either. The USA is not - quite - as bad as my message suggested. It clearly did playe a significant role in WW2 and in liberating the camps. My overstatements were merely said in "righteous anger" at your stupid bashing of Britain. All in all, I would say Britain is so largely influenced by America (despite hating it) that they're pretty similar in terms of treatment of their own Jewish populations. Britain has alot of leftist anti-zionists in the media and academica, and it's precisely their links with the media that gives the false impression that the majority of Britain (even of its academia) are anti-zionist. It'd just be nice if you'd shut your self-righteous pie holes and quit exclusively picking on Britain's village idiots as though they were representative of us all, and hypocritcally ignoring your own idiots (I see you even have academics who praise bin laden...gosh , i guess ALL americans are bin laden supporters ---NOT)