For the record, my Facebook page is not private. It's public. Anyone can read what I write and/or share it. 156k people choose to 'follow' me. I have 5000 'friends'. I'm not sure why anyone would say (as they have) that my Facebook page is 'private'.
I 'shared' the statement below on Facebook on either Oct 3 or 4. The Manchester Synagogue atrocity took place on Oct 2.
In other words, I had found safe ways (away from X) to express myself. But then, lo and behold, up pops someone on X, saying that I hadn't said anything about the Manchester attacks on Jews - more exactly that I was 'too busy to comment', and following that up with a seeming joke reply to my question 'When does the ceasefire begin?' by saying '...at the time you're due to deliver your condemnation of the antisemitic murder on Yom Kippur by an Islamist terrorist.'
Needless to say, I don't feel like replying over there on X, and saying 'But I have commented' because that will just snowball into another hate-fest of false accusations and/or accusations of bad faith or words to the effect that 'You've got no right to speak on such matters because you're a self-hating antisemitic Jew' - often said from people who keep themselves anonymous anyway...followed up with some implied physical threat to me along the lines of 'A lot of people would have to be physically restrained from getting to him [ie Michael Rosen], including me.' (that's a true one!).
So, I've abstained over there on X but I'm saying it over here on Facebook because this feels safe. It also feels like something that perhaps people should know about as context for what has gone on in the last few days.
On that, here's an interesting snippet. I listened to Tracy-Ann Oberman talking about the attacks. Trevor Phillips was interviewing Tracy-Ann and she said, that the 'placards' on the Palestine Solidarity marches were the 'same' as those from the 1930s which my parents and Tracy-Ann's relatives fought against. Then she said that the 'rise of anti-Jewish vernacular has absolutely contributed to what happened [in and around the Manchester synagogue]'
I thought about that. Have they? Have they 'absolutely contributed' - ie definitely contributed? How could Tracy-Ann or anyone know 'absolutely' or definitely (my word)? Until there is meticulous research and inspection, we won't know and can't know what motivated the attacker. What's more, I might ask, isn't it just a little bit dangerous to dive in and make comments like that before the research and inspection has come out?( If you disagree with me on that, or anything else here, do say so below. Keep it polite.)
Thanks for reading.
SO HERE IS THE STATEMENT THAT I 'SHARED' ON FACEBOOK BY WAY OF MY RESPONSE TO THE MANCHESTER SYNAGOGUE ATROCITY
"Statement by the Jewish Bloc for Palestine last night after the events in Manchester on Yom Kippur:
The Jewish Bloc is horrified and sickened by the murderous attack on the Manchester synagogue yesterday. We send our condolences and love to the families of the victims and all members of the congregation. Nobody should lose their life for where or when they choose to pray.
We were devastated by the news that the Greater Manchester Police operation was responsible for the death of one congregation member and the injury of others, as well as the death of the attacker. It is appalling that shul goers who called the police for help ended up dead at their hands. We stand in solidarity with the families of Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz.
In the immediate aftermath of an attack like this we mourn the victims and offer our support to a community reeling in shock, whether the attack be at a synagogue, school, mosque or nightclub. We are deeply moved by the widespread expressions of sympathy and solidarity we have received from our comrades and friends in the Palestine solidarity movement and a range of Muslim organisations, and are grateful for the support they have offered.
We were shocked when, less than 24 hours after the attack, a relatively new Home Secretary went onto the airwaves to weaponise the fear and grief of our community by resurrecting a slur: that those protesting for Palestine represent a danger to Jews. She is cynically exploiting this tragic event to fulfil a long-standing ambition of successive British Governments: to justify a ban on the mass protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
We are distressed that some of our communal leaders, including the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue, have also tried to exploit our grief and fear in order to suppress and silence those organising for Palestine.
Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and violent bigotry are on the rise. We will not speculate on the motives of the attacker but we all recognise and condemn the increase in antisemitic conspiracy theories across social media, as well as the dog-whistle phrases now appearing in the speeches of mainstream politicians.
We are a diverse group of British Jews. Some are secular and some were in synagogues yesterday. Many have links to families and friends who will have attended Heaton Park synagogue yesterday. We will be marching again next Saturday, and will continue to take to the streets until we see an end to this genocide and until Palestine is free. We will continue to strengthen our links of solidarity and mutual support with Muslims and other communities targeted by racism. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."
The statement below (that I shared) was posted on Facebook by the 'Jewish Bloc for Palestine'.
I agreed with it then, and still do.
Just like for any of us, I sometimes feel that for some momentous occasions, I can't immediately find the words to match what I feel - but this did. And it made me also think that sometimes the collective response is more important than the individual one. After all, I don't represent anyone and I should always keep that in mind.
Now for the sting in the tale. Over at X (formerly twitter) something unpleasant happened.
Now for the sting in the tale. Over at X (formerly twitter) something unpleasant happened.
When anyone from the pro-Palestine side expressed regret, sympathy or horror at the Manchester attacks on Jews, they were immediately attacked for being (variously) hypocrites, liars or - worse - somehow responsible for the attacks. Individuals (like Jeremy Corbyn, of course) became a focus for rage and hate. In fact, as this happened so quickly, that immediately put a strong brake on me making any kind of comment. There's just so much personal hate and rage that a body can take! In my case, for the last 7 years or so there's been a constant undertow to that hate and anger: a threat of physical confrontation.
I've described some of these before, some I haven't.
They're sufficiently serious for me to take them at face value, so with these, was yet another reason, with feelings running high (some quite legitimately of course) for me to deliberately not express myself on X.
And, meanwhile, over here on Facebook - a much safer place! - was a statement from the Jewish Bloc that I could get behind and so did.
What's more, within 24 hours of the attacks I was speaking at a public event about one of my books and someone asked me about the attacks and I felt free and safe there to express myself in those surroundings, expressing my horror at what happened and wishing anyone connected to the families every sympathy. (That was the evening of October 2)
What's more, within 24 hours of the attacks I was speaking at a public event about one of my books and someone asked me about the attacks and I felt free and safe there to express myself in those surroundings, expressing my horror at what happened and wishing anyone connected to the families every sympathy. (That was the evening of October 2)
In other words, I had found safe ways (away from X) to express myself. But then, lo and behold, up pops someone on X, saying that I hadn't said anything about the Manchester attacks on Jews - more exactly that I was 'too busy to comment', and following that up with a seeming joke reply to my question 'When does the ceasefire begin?' by saying '...at the time you're due to deliver your condemnation of the antisemitic murder on Yom Kippur by an Islamist terrorist.'
What? 'Too busy'? '..due to...' ? But I had commented in my way in a place of my choosing.
Well the law operating here is of course, the old one of 'damned if you do', (as with Corbyn et al) 'and damned if you don't'. Other than that I had! (via the Jewish bloc statement and my public appearance.). And then, lo and behold, this tweet condemning me has gathered momentum and loads of people are getting in there, calling me a 'kapo' and the like, because I 'haven't commented'. It's almost as if some people think that because they are on X, that is the whole world. (Is this a new phenomenon born of the digital world? That whatever social platform you're on, you think it IS the world?!
Needless to say, I don't feel like replying over there on X, and saying 'But I have commented' because that will just snowball into another hate-fest of false accusations and/or accusations of bad faith or words to the effect that 'You've got no right to speak on such matters because you're a self-hating antisemitic Jew' - often said from people who keep themselves anonymous anyway...followed up with some implied physical threat to me along the lines of 'A lot of people would have to be physically restrained from getting to him [ie Michael Rosen], including me.' (that's a true one!).
So, I've abstained over there on X but I'm saying it over here on Facebook because this feels safe. It also feels like something that perhaps people should know about as context for what has gone on in the last few days.
On that, here's an interesting snippet. I listened to Tracy-Ann Oberman talking about the attacks. Trevor Phillips was interviewing Tracy-Ann and she said, that the 'placards' on the Palestine Solidarity marches were the 'same' as those from the 1930s which my parents and Tracy-Ann's relatives fought against. Then she said that the 'rise of anti-Jewish vernacular has absolutely contributed to what happened [in and around the Manchester synagogue]'
I thought about that. Have they? Have they 'absolutely contributed' - ie definitely contributed? How could Tracy-Ann or anyone know 'absolutely' or definitely (my word)? Until there is meticulous research and inspection, we won't know and can't know what motivated the attacker. What's more, I might ask, isn't it just a little bit dangerous to dive in and make comments like that before the research and inspection has come out?( If you disagree with me on that, or anything else here, do say so below. Keep it polite.)
Thanks for reading.
SO HERE IS THE STATEMENT THAT I 'SHARED' ON FACEBOOK BY WAY OF MY RESPONSE TO THE MANCHESTER SYNAGOGUE ATROCITY
"Statement by the Jewish Bloc for Palestine last night after the events in Manchester on Yom Kippur:
The Jewish Bloc is horrified and sickened by the murderous attack on the Manchester synagogue yesterday. We send our condolences and love to the families of the victims and all members of the congregation. Nobody should lose their life for where or when they choose to pray.
We were devastated by the news that the Greater Manchester Police operation was responsible for the death of one congregation member and the injury of others, as well as the death of the attacker. It is appalling that shul goers who called the police for help ended up dead at their hands. We stand in solidarity with the families of Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz.
In the immediate aftermath of an attack like this we mourn the victims and offer our support to a community reeling in shock, whether the attack be at a synagogue, school, mosque or nightclub. We are deeply moved by the widespread expressions of sympathy and solidarity we have received from our comrades and friends in the Palestine solidarity movement and a range of Muslim organisations, and are grateful for the support they have offered.
We were shocked when, less than 24 hours after the attack, a relatively new Home Secretary went onto the airwaves to weaponise the fear and grief of our community by resurrecting a slur: that those protesting for Palestine represent a danger to Jews. She is cynically exploiting this tragic event to fulfil a long-standing ambition of successive British Governments: to justify a ban on the mass protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
We are distressed that some of our communal leaders, including the Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue, have also tried to exploit our grief and fear in order to suppress and silence those organising for Palestine.
Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and violent bigotry are on the rise. We will not speculate on the motives of the attacker but we all recognise and condemn the increase in antisemitic conspiracy theories across social media, as well as the dog-whistle phrases now appearing in the speeches of mainstream politicians.
We are a diverse group of British Jews. Some are secular and some were in synagogues yesterday. Many have links to families and friends who will have attended Heaton Park synagogue yesterday. We will be marching again next Saturday, and will continue to take to the streets until we see an end to this genocide and until Palestine is free. We will continue to strengthen our links of solidarity and mutual support with Muslims and other communities targeted by racism. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."
INCIDENTALLY THIS STATEMENT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE POLICE REPORT THAT INDICATED THAT THE MURDERER WAS MOTIVATED BY HIS ATTACHMENT TO ISIS. I DON'T SPEAK FOR THE JEWISH BLOC BUT PERSONALLY I CAN PUT IT ON RECORD THAT I CONDEMN TERRORISM OF THIS KIND WHETHER IT'S CALLED 'ISIS TERRORISM' OR 'ISLAMIST TERRORISM'.
