1573 AJR Journal April 2010.Indd

VOLAJRUME JOURNAL 0 NO.4 APRIL 200 Anglo-Saxon attitudes n unexpected spin-off from Jews responsible for fomenting the Chilcot Inquiry into revolution in Western countries. A the invasion of Iraq was From this emerged Hitler’s notion the dispute provoked when the of ‘Judeo-Bolshevism’, a key concept suitability of two of the Committee in the ideological underpinning of members, Sir Martin Gilbert and his war of extermination against Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, the Jews. was called into question on the Ingrams’s brand of conspiracy grounds that they were Jews. The theory does not go to anything like initial cause of the controversy such murderous lengths. It offers was an article by a former British a watered-down version, where ambassador to Libya, Sir Oliver the state of Israel takes the place Miles, in The Independent on of the secret Zionist organisation Sunday, saying that both these posited by the Protocols, and where eminent historians were Jewish and the efforts of Jews are assumed that Gilbert had a record of active support pro-Israel bias of Sir Martin Gilbert and to be concentrated solely, though often for Zionism. Miles seems to have been Sir Lawrence Freedman … is a perfectly covertly, on the furthering of Israel’s voicing the typical concerns of a Foreign respectable point to raise.’ By adding interests and power. As Israel actually Office Arabist, concerned at the impact Freedman to the list of active pro-Zionists exists, the conspiracy has a real object on Arab opinion of the presence of two (without evidence), Ingrams gave a on which to focus; but that object also Jews on a committee of five charged with collective dimension to his ‘anti-Zionist’ provides a reality check against which passing judgment on a Middle Eastern tirade. the extravaganzas of the theory can be issue. The logic of Ingrams’s remarks, such checked and its absurdities exposed. The attack on the two Jewish academics as it is, derives at least indirectly from For example, it is plainly absurd to was then taken up in an article in The the familiar conspiracy theories used to deny the loyalty of all British Jews to the Independent by Richard Ingrams, who denigrate and defame Jews ever since country in which they live, by implying broadened it out to cast doubt on the the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, first that they have some deeper loyalty impartiality and reliability of Jews in published in Russia in 1903. According to Israel. Many Jews have a deep-felt political matters generally, by implying to such fantasy constructs, all Jews emotional commitment to the Jewish that Jews have an overriding loyalty to worldwide were secretly united in a state, but as British citizens still retain an Israel, if often covert. Ingrams stated as conspiracy to bring power and influence overriding loyalty to Britain. Other Jews, a fact that the attack on Saddam Hussein under their (malignant) control, since as the pages of this journal show only was initiated by a group of American neo- they owed allegiance, apparently by too clearly, are often sharply critical of conservatives (all those named being genetic predisposition, to some central Israel and its policies and can hardly be Jews), mostly ‘ardent Zionists’ who were organisation so shrouded in mystery that accused of an unwavering promotion of ‘more concerned with preserving the it could only be identified by the workings Israeli interests. Therein lies the error of security of Israel than that of the US’. of its hidden hand. those like Ingrams who seek to deduce The argument that members of The Jews, it was alleged, used their people’s politics from their racial or the Republican right would sacrifice positions of power in the world of finance national origins. the security of the USA for that of and banking to achieve their sinister To argue that a Jew cannot be impartial another nation is, putting it mildly, ends by manipulation. The Bolshevik on questions involving the Middle East is highly contentious, but Ingrams blithely Revolution of 1917 gave these ideas a about as sensible as to argue that a minis- stated it as fact. Presumably because it new slant. Ideologues of the far right ter or civil servant of Irish origin cannot be is for him a ‘fact’ that Jews have some who hated both Jews and Marxists trusted to be impartial on matters relating inherent and inalienable loyalty to linked the supposed Jewish hold over to Northern Ireland, as he or she would be Israel, to which national loyalties will the USSR to the efforts of the Communist predisposed to favour the Catholic camp ineluctably be subordinated. ‘Given that International to subvert the social and over the Protestant, the Republican over undeniable fact,’ Ingrams continued, ‘the political order in the West, thus holding continued overleaf AJR JOURNAL APRIL 200 ANGLO-SAXON ATTITUDES continued from page 1 KINDERTRANSPORT the Unionist. Even in the darkest days of assumed to be the bearers of anti-Semitic SPECIAL NOTICE the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, nobody prejudice) that he was not to be trusted 15-25 April 2010 was silly enough to launch a witch-hunt with the national interest – rather the ‘Kindertransport’, an audio-visual sculpture by Ralph Koltai CBE, will on such grounds. It is also worth pointing contrary. Gladstone’s celebrated pamphlet have its first showing at the British Film out that Israel was not the instigator of the on the ‘Bulgarian horrors’ formed part of Institute on the South Bank. It is in the attack on Saddam Hussein. The Israeli the political knockabout common at times form of a globe from which pictures, government, while no friend of Saddam, of heightened political confrontation even literature and music relating to the Kindertransport will be screened. It is recognised that Iran represented the a century and a third ago, not an out-and- hoped to have a special viewing for greater threat to its security; by destroying out attack on Jewish loyalty in the manner ‘Kinder’ on 25 April. The sculpture will Iraq as a bulwark against Iranian expan- of the Dreyfus affair. By arguing that tour the UK and European departure sion, the Americans unwittingly acted Disraeli favoured the Ottomans because points of the Kindertransport trains. to boost Iran’s position of power in the of the tolerance they displayed towards 27 June (further details to follow) region, against Israeli interests. their Jewish subjects, Gladstone might It is planned to unveil a monument to the Kindertransport at the Hook of Sir Oliver Miles’s remarks triggered even be said to be paying a backhanded Holland. an energetic response from pro-Jewish compliment to Disraeli’s feeling for commentators. Predictably, some of them humane attitudes, even among Turks. All tended to locate him in the context of a long in all, this incident hardly has the makings ANNUAL GENERAL and enduring tradition of British hostility of a rabid display of anti-Jewish feeling. to Jews in particular and immigrants Cesarani’s second point was that Jews MEETING of the and minorities in general. Readers who were excluded from the British security ASSOCIATION OF themselves arrived in Britain in the 1930s services until well after the Second World JEWISH REFUGEES as refugees from Nazi persecution will War. This will come as a surprise to the THURSDAY 17 JUNE 2010 have their own memories of the anti- many readers of Sarah Helm’s engross- 11.00 AM at the Paul Balint AJR Centre Semitic attitudes that pervaded sections of ing book A Life in Secrets (2005), which 15 Cleve Road, London NW6 British society and of the stereotype image details the career of Vera Atkins, née Lunch will be served at a cost of £5. of Jews purveyed by parts of the press. Rosenberg, a Romanian-born Jew who Space is limited. If you would like to But in the case of the Jewish refugees came to Britain in the 1930s and became reserve a place for lunch, please call from Hitler such prejudices hardly ever the key figure in the French Section of Head Office on 020 8385 3070 by involved physical violence; and many the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Monday 1 June 2010. refugees, when interviewed, say that, As France was the SOE’s principal area Agenda though aware of anti-Semitism in British of operations, Atkins was one of the most Annual Report 2009 Hon. Treasurer’s Report society, they experienced little or none important figures anywhere in the British Discussion themselves. wartime secret services. Election of Committee of Writing in The Guardian, Professor Writing in AJR Information of August Management* David Cesarani pilloried ‘Britain’s affair 1957, the journal’s editor, Werner *No person other than a committee with anti-Semitism’, but on the strength Rosenstock, felt able to laugh off the idea member retiring by rotation shall be elected or re-elected at any general of surprisingly thin evidence. He claimed that the Jewish refugees from Hitler were meeting unless:- that the British ruling elites have long been ineradicably differentiated by national (a) he or she is recommended by the suspicious of Jews exercising influence allegiance from the British. In an article Committee of Management, or (b) not less than twenty-one clear over British policy, because Jewish entitled ‘Passport to Swiss Cottage’, he days before the date appointed for loyalties supposedly lie outside Britain. recalled how, travelling home from west the meeting, notice executed by ten members qualified to vote at the meeting Cesarani cited Gladstone’s attack in 1876 London ten years earlier on a number 31 has been given to the Association of on Disraeli’s policy towards the massacres bus, he and his fellow travellers had had the intention to propose that person of Christians committed in Bulgaria by their journey enlivened by the conductor, for election or re-election together with notice executed by that person of the ruling Ottoman Turks; Gladstone, his who called out ‘Swiss Cottage.

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