Jewish social workers angry at union's anti-Israel stance

Jewish social workers this week voiced concern that anti-Israel guidance from their professional body would “force them into hiding”.

In a statement to thousands of members, the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) said it was “appalled by Israel’s attacks on Gaza and its ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian land…The scale of the actions of the Israeli forces, especially shelling of schools and the killing of children while they sleep in supposedly safe places, is grossly disproportionate.”

Reacting to the statement this week, Karin Ward, a London-based social-work student of dual British-Israeli nationality, whose 19-year-old son has gone to serve in the IDF, said BASW sought support from every social worker in the UK to target Israel.

She added: “I’m horrified. The BASW has dishonoured its own code of ethics.”

Ward called the nature of the critique “distressing, manipulative, inflammatory, one-sided and disturbing” and said BASW should be held accountable.

“I feel like I’m in hiding,” she said. “It really is a careless misuse of power.”