Seems like Shalom Ezer has been invited in spite of Loach's objections Loach is on record as saying that the rise in anti-antisemitism is “understandable”, and without having more information it would seem that Loach is an anti-Semite. Mike

If he were true to his convictions, he would give up all Israeli funded things. Stop using PCs. Stop using your cel phone too, chances are the hardware development was VERY influenced by the IDF. Otherwise, this is not about principles, but him attacking a weaker fellow who happensto be Jewish and Israeli. B"H

and a racist, whether or not he admits it. He placed himself down at the bottom of the tank with the Iranian and Tony Blair's sister. These days, the accomplishment of Loach and Ahmedinine is to make themselves and all other racist bores completely irrelevant.

A man protests against the descrimination of a group of people who live under an occupational government. A government that breaks international law by building settlements on occupied territory. The wolrd knows the truth about Israel's duplicity. Do you think by lying to yourselves we don't know? Only in Orwellian Israel can the oppressor whine about how the world hates him as he himself does everything he can to alienate the world that he despises.

Since Jordan is Arab Palestine, and bans Jews from citizenship and land ownership. Since Hamas has a charter calling for killing Jews. Arab Palestine is worse than Apartheid South Africa, and those like Ken Loach are racists. They dont want peace, just spread hate and racism.

LOACH can not forgive ISRAEL for its existence , despite his and his best friends-arabs deep wishes for ISRAEL to disappear from the earth. Many nations disappeared from the earth-ROMANS, GREEKS, EGYPTIANS e.c but JEWISH PEOPLE AND STATE OF ISRAEL IS HEAR AND i hope FOREVER!!!!!!!

Loach had his day in the sun by trying to exclude the Israeli film director. He ignores the fact that Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers and actors work together and that the EU has provided significant funding to support Israeli filmmakers so they can tell their stories. Loach is just a two bit anti-Israel basher abusing his role. The occupation is a lie perpetuated by the Palestinians for financial gain and world attention. Let's hear examples of what the Palestinians have done to change their circumstances? Loach should make a documentary in Israel about Palestinian terror and how it impacts the lives of Israeli victims. That would help him detox.

Everything. The old Soviet Union used to make the same claims. Basically your country did not invent the cell phone or the computer chip. You may have a factory in Israel that makes chips for Intel or some other manufacturer but so what? Chip factories exist in a lot of countries. If your country invented so much high tech gear then why are you begging the United States for the F-22 and F-35? Why are you begging for their long range radar systems? Why did you have to beg their AWACs systems? Why do you need their bunker buster technology? Why did you need the US and France to help you develop your nuclear reactors and fuels processing plants? Quit dreaming about how advanced Israeli industry and society is. Your country is a theocracy run by a priest class that wants to sacrifice animals for religious offerings to a "god" that is a barbaric relic of the Bronze Age. Pitiful backward jingoistic fools is what you are.

since you are a self proclaimed "world citizen" i guess that makes you part of Pol Pots Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, that bastion of human rights, Zimbwabwe , Taliban Afganistan, you get the picture...but you are happy now that you got a rise out of me . nevertheless your understanding of history,and the law comes out of a propaganda rag that you covet because it confirms your bigotry and Judeopathic mind...

A bit unworldly of you sir to see only one side of the conflit. Israel has unilaterally left Lebanon (2000) and Gaza (2005). These 2 plaes have become terrorist hotbeds, with the thrust being destruction against all civilians in Israel. Tell me, how would any western country react when barraged from its neighbors for years with bombs? Tell me, how do we in Israel who desperately desire peace, to whom to turn? You might try to repace your blanket dismissal of an entire country with some constructive ideas for guaranteeing us true peace and security in our region. That, sir would truly make you a great World Citizen!

We don't despise the international community but we do despise anti-semites in the guise of Israeli bashers like you. Many Jews reside in the state of Israel, incidentally. Twenty percent of our population is Arab. Whatever they say or complain about, less than five percent (surveys) would agree to live as citizens under any other mideastern government including a Palestinian one. As far as the notion of "occupiers" goes, we actually belong here in spite of all your Brit government did and continues to do to obstruct us. We know your kind: MP Claire Short, Tony Blair's loud but undistinguished sister-in-law ... You're anything but a "world citizen": You have a chip on your shoulder, you are ignorant, you are loud and very unattractive

every day, every where. vigorously, aggressively.

excerpts from her letter, she, apparently, belongs to so called Israeli peace camp. Many of these "progressive" Israeli "artists" cause serious damage to the country's image abroad and undermine the morale of immature youth at home. In fact bashing Israel is the surest way for such 'artists" and "intellectuals" to make themselves noticed in the West. However, due to the blind hatred of Israel, the Western liberals like Loach have no patience to figure out who is who, and as a result even those Israelis who are willing to pour dirt on their own country are sometimes getting snubbed.

None. But an Arab was a cabinet minister in the last Israeli government, and Arabs are senior advisors in this one. In what apartheid government was a black man a general in the armed forces, commanding whites as well as blacks? None. But there have been Bedouin generals in the IDF, commanding Jews as well as Arabs. In what apartheid government were any members of parliament black? None. Israel has more than 10 Arab MKs. In what apartheid government did blacks sit on the supreme court, serve as diplomats, act as aides to the PM, head up prestigious university research teams, act as doctors in mixed medical centers? None. But Arabs do all of these things in Israel. Under apartheid, blacks were forbidden to use the same restaurants, hotels, restrooms, schools, universities, buses, drinking fountains, hospitals, etc. as whites. In Israel, Arabs use the same facilities, and get the same national health benefits, as Jews do. In apartheid South Africa, blacks were murdered for speaking up for their rights. In Israel, certain Arab politicians attack the state that pays their salary. They've been doing this for decades, without reprisals. The only apartheid regimes in the middle east are the regimes, like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that enforce apartheid regimes that treat women as some kind of inferior species, and the regimes like that of Sudan, which slaughter hundreds of thousands of black people while you sit by and whine about Israel.

I don't think Ken Loach is racist or anti-Semitic. Being critical of the State of Israel doesn't make him either, nor does supporting the rights of Palestinians. Israel isn't perfect as many of you acknowledge, nor is the Palestinian Authority. HOWEVER, I am at a loss to explain why he begrudges the Israeli Embassy giving a small amount of money to a director to attend a film festival. I don't think that banning anyone is the way forward. Surely it's better to meet, engage and debate...and hopefully understand, even if, ultimately we disagree. Here in London we have inter-racial, inter-religious problems but, because we all live in and around each other, we have to deal with one another every day. What's always struck me about Israel/Palestine (and I lived there for two years) is that you don't often come across one another in daily life so you feel so 'foreign' to one another, even though you historically have very much in common.

for obsessive morons like you. what would you do without those talkbacks on jewish newspaper? licking the balls as bored dog? Salaam from REAL world.

I think we're even, aren't we Mr. "Roach"?

Listen up, fools. Crticicizing israel is not racist. Dont you understand how "your country" came into being? Not exactly peaceful. Most people, and not just middle easterners, despise israel. Israel is the most despised country in the world and trust me, it's not because youre jewish. As long as you keep picking war and hate over peace, israel will NEVER be in a state of peace. Never has, never will be.

I can actually hear the stampede of israeli ignorants running after your post!

.... a racist agitator. Better spend more "productive time" over at Al Jazeera, The Independent, Guardian and Haaretz forums. The "World Scum" frequenting those pits will be more welcoming. And I fully AGREE with your description of Iran and the Hezbollah-Infested Lebanon being: "... a theocracy run by a priest class that wants to sacrifice animals for religious offerings to a "god" that is a barbaric relic of the Bronze Age. Pitiful backward jingoistic fools is what you are" Incidentally, this also describes Saudi Arabia, Taliban-run Afghanistan and all the remaining primitive and barbaric Jihadist "priests". Islam is a wonderful religion, eh, "World Scum"? Your description of all those is accurate: after all, it takes one to know one.

That explains why he is so "begrudged" by the Israeli Embassy paying 30) Pounds to cover part of the Israeli Director trip to UK. These racis scum are "begrudged" by ANYTHING Jewish. In this case, money was an excuse to demonize Israel AGAIN, and gain popularity in the rapidly-expanding Jihadist community and the unholy alliance between Islam and the Left in UK. ALL your naive and legitimate questions will be answered when you REALLY understand what makes Loach and his kind tick: an organic and visceral hatred against EVERYHING and ANYTHING connected to Jews and Judaism: the Jews themselves, their religion and during the last +60 years, The State of Israel which symbolizes the return of the Jews to their ancestral land - a sounding slap on the face of the millenia-old anti-Semitism which did not succeed in destroying them as a people and as a religion, though not for lack of trying.

And which other country in the world imprisons 1000s of people without trial and charge - including children/ What other country builds 500km long walls around an entire people? What other country imprisons over 1 million people in a ghetto, starves them for a couple of years and then attacks them with US paid for weapons? What other country builds illegal only roads and settlements on occupied land? And then restricts their use to people of only one religion? What other country demolishes people's houses on a regular basis? (only Palestinina homes that is) What other country is subject to dozens and dozens of UN resolutions? All of them ignored. What other country kills children and women with phosphorous bombs, flechettes and other nasties? What other country kills farmers and fishermen going about their bisiness? What other country builds huge ghettos on its border? What other country has a succession of criminals as Primeministers / ministers? What other country creates such indignation around the world and is the subject of boycotts, protests and bans everywhere? What other country?

What about the former soviet satelite republics of the USSR? What about the former 13 colonies? What about every other area in the world that was colonized at some point? Does that mean that they cant be independent states?Palestine was established WAY EARLIER than Jordan ever was. Palestine originated around 5000 bc. Jordan? 1900s. Let's star using our brain here, david. By the way, regarding hamas, youre thinking about the hamas of 22 years ago. Why arent you thinking about the hamas of today??? Hamas offered long term truces to israel if it lifted the blockade which has made starvation and malnutrition rampant. Israel refused. israel was the one that broke the truce many times, not hamas.Hamas offered to go back to '67 boundaries, which not only is recognized by the UN, but by the international consensus that was reached on the 70s. Israel refused. Netanyahu publicly proclaimed that a two-state solution is not an option on his table. Hamas, about 6 years ago, supported a saudi peace initiative introduced in the arab league and sent a delegation of its own to sign a document advocating two states. Of course, you dont want to think about 6 yrs ago or now, you want to think about 22 years ago.Israel says it wants peace, yet the settlements are still being built on occupied territory. The last suicide bomber hamas sent was in august of '04, TWO YEARS before it became a part of the political arena. Give me a break, david. Ill tell you what kind of peace israel wants. It wants a piece of palestine, a piece of jordan, a piece of syria, a piece of lebanon, and a piece of egypt. Stop the terror, david. stop the hate. stop the injustice, and the palestinians will bring peace. israel has never been in a state of peace, and never will be.

The quote: 'Palestine originated around 5000 bc". May be you can suggest Palestinian newspaper created within this time that i can post my opinion? Since I'm not sure that such newspaper exists, I will afford myself to post my opinion right here: Noor is lunatic and "Palestinian people" are not existing. Arabs don't deserve another state. Salaam.

"The culture of hatred must stop. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech like narcotics have nothing to do with free market practices. Western governments have got to pressure Arab countries to introduce genuine freedom of speech, i.e. free media. Arab journalists and writers who deliver balanced articles on the Arab-Israeli conflict are banned from publishing. Arab regimes are suspicious of these people and more often than not, they are arbitrarily put behind bars and accused of spying for the arch enemy, Israel. I am one of those who have tried to publish articles in the Arab press about the Arab-Israeli conflict telling readers that the Israel-image as presented in the belligerent Arab discourse is distorted and fabricated. I have also stressed that if the Arab countries were as democratic as Israel, the conflict would disappear and Israelis and Arabs would live in peace, side by side. If Arabs were objectively informed, they would choose to co-exist with their Israeli neighbors. Ethnic and religious minorities are integrated in the Israeli society and enjoy the same political rights the Jews do. Muslim and Christian Arabs, for example, sit in the Israeli parliament (Kneset) and say whatever they want. A Muslim Arab sits also in the Israeli cabinet. My articles have never been published, and they will never. Arabs are not allowed to know the truth. Western governments have to re-educate, at least, their Arab allies, as the Allies did with the Germans after the World War II. The war on terror does not make any sense unless the root causes of extremism are uprooted, in the media and at school." from: http://www.amislam.com/