'If you were shocked by the recent spike in antisemitic attacks in the UK, you haven’t been paying attention' says SiamGoorwich
. These included graffiti on a synagogue in Norwich, a rabbi being attacked outside his synagogue in Chigwell, Essex, and a convoy of cars driving through North London broadcasting ‘Ftheir mothers, f*** their daughters and show your support for Palestine. Rape their daughters, we have to send a message like that. Please do it for the poor children in Gaza’ from loudspeakers. Four men have now been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences.
What’s frustrating is that so few non-Jews seem to get it. When we explain that anti-Israel sentiment is often used as a cloak for Jew hate, we’re told we are wrong: anti-Zionism is not the same as antisemitism. Well yes, you’re right, it doesn’t have to be – but sadly it often is. We’ve tried explaining that antisemitism is a virus that mutates to become whatever is most appealing at the time – in this case, Israelis are incorrectly portrayed as white colonialist oppressors, which is factually incorrect but fits nicely into the current post-colonial narrative – but it falls on deaf ears.