By Stan Goodenough
Jun 10, 2008
The United Kingdom, which in its heydays of empire was one of the major early facilitators of the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland, and of the return of that land to its people, is today a hotbed of antisemitic anti-Israel sentiment.
This belief was voiced by Israeli ambassador to England, Ron Prosor, in a scathing article published Tuesday in the British paper the Daily Telegraph.
Prosor said he was concerned that "the most extreme elements of the debate" have "been allowed to hijack" mainstream thought on Israel, adding, "I implore the British public to prevent the radical fringe from monopolizing British-Israeli discourse.
"It is vital that British values of fair play and even-handedness are brought to the debate."
Prosor's piece comes in the wake of a May 28, 2008 call by the British University and College Union (UCU) for its members to "consider the moral and political implications of educational links with Israeli institutions, and to discuss the occupation [sic] with individuals and institutions concerned, including Israeli colleagues with whom they are collaborating."
In his initial response to the call, Prosor said "the reoccurring calls for an academic boycott on Israel over the past few years are another attempt to delegitimize Israel both in Academia and the professional British associations. The elements pushing for this boycott are only out to defame Israel at all costs."
British antipathy towards Israel has been fed for decades by a media in that country that is shamelessly biased in favor of the Arab side of the Israeli-"Palestinian" conflict.
Once with lawmakers and mainstream clergy solidly in favor of the biblically-foretold restoration of Israel, Britain has - since the 1920s - increasingly betrayed its commitment to the Jewish people, first stealing great chunks of the land granted to the Jews for a homeland by the League-of-Nations and then avidly working to remove Jews from territory Israel regained in wars of self-defense against hostile Arabs.