Having only once mentioned the savage Israeli war on Palestinians in Gaza in his articles during the attacks in January, Mr Goldberg seems to be making up for lost time. According to his last article (5th March), Israel’s attack was nothing but “vicious retribution.” But retribution, for what, you may ask? According to the “The Stirrer”, it was retribution for Hamas’s “incessant shelling across the border.” Like any propagandist, Mr Goldberg fails to mention the context and historical background of the recent Israeli attack. Like any propagandist, his role is to treat and twist myth, as fact.

Before the recent Israeli attack, Hamas had complied with the terms of a six month ceasefire. However, Israel broke the ceasefire on 4th November when it killed six Palestinians in Gaza, while the world’s attention was focused on the results of the American elections. He also seems to justify the killing of children because, “let’s not forget that their parents supported a paramilitary party...”i.e. Hamas. Well that sums him up! If Palestinians exercise their democratic right and choose a party not to the liking of Israel, you deserve to have your children killed. Obviously, there are many British people, who thought along similar lines when Northern Irish republicans voted for Sinn Fein. Imagine the world’s response to Great Britain if it adopted Israel’s ‘genocidal aggression’, which would include the killing of over 400 Irish catholic children, to an IRA attack.

Mr Goldberg’s highly selective approach even extends to memory itself. Once again, like I’ve already mentioned, he urges his readers to “not forget” the fact, that it was the Palestinian children’s parents which elected Hamas. Yet he has nothing to say about the real, very human history of the Palestinians of Gaza. He does not say “let’s not forget” that 80% of the Palestinians in Gaza, are descendants of the ethnically cleansed in 1948 from what is now south Israel. In 1948, 200,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from southern Israel by Zionist forces. He does not say “let’s not forget” that in 1948, the United Nations passed Resolution 194, entitling the Palestinians the right of return to their indigenous lands, which will inevitably mean a return to southern Israel.

Pro-Taliban Information Centre in Mosque!

Furthermore, in the Evening Mail on the 26th February, “The Stirrer”, claims that the “leading voice on Jewish affairs” has expressed support for a pro-Palestinian mural in one of Birmingham’s districts. He further identifies this “leading voice of Jewish affairs” as non-other than Ruth Jacobs who seems to be an employee of the Israeli Information Centre. I would like to ask if a “leading voice on Muslim affairs” was working out of the Taliban Information Centre what the outcome would be. What exactly would Birmingham councillors and MP’s be doing about this hypothetical situation? More so, the Israeli Information Centre, according to the “The Stirrer”, is based in a synagogue! What would Birmingham councillors and MP’s be doing if the Taliban Information Centre was based in Birmingham Central Mosque?

I have no doubt, what the police’s response would be. The mosque would be rightly raided and at the very least be compelled to disassociate itself from an odious government. The Israeli government is in violation of countless UN resolutions and in breach of the 4th Geneva Convention. Israel is also a state founded on ethnic cleansing. Yet a synagogue in England’s second city, according to “The Stirrer”, is allowed to have the Israeli Information Centre based at its premises.

By the way, Mr. Stirrer, how was Ruth Jacobs nominated to be the “leading voice of Jewish affairs” in Birmingham. Was it by appointment from the Israeli embassy in London or was she elected by Birmingham’s Jewish residents?

Finally, I recommend that “The Stirrer” urges the synagogue to disassociate itself from a criminal government, as this does not assist in the community cohesion and diversity programmes of Birmingham City council. It is impossible to both embrace community cohesion and diversity and simultaneously associate itself with state sanctioned occupation, land expropriation, mass murder and ethnic cleansing.