Letters to the editor: ‘JLM’s name is now a contradiction in terms’
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The JLM’s name is now a contradiction in terms
Who in the Jewish Labour Movement, one wonders, is kidding whom?
Aside from the fact the very name of the organisation is now a contradiction in terms, it is a mystery just where the “140 Labour MPs who signed a letter supporting JLM and urging it not to disaffiliate” (as reported in Jewish News last week) have been over the past few months.
Despite the frantic twisting and turning of the likes of John McDonnell and his ilk, it is quite apparent the rank and file go along with Corbyn’s sickening sentiments, or else why are they still there?
“Fighting from within” sounds very noble but being in with a chance to sample the rewards of being in power sounds even better. Tories in disarray, voter dissatisfaction with the present hapless prime minister – it could happen.
The longer the likes of JLM waffle and procrastinate over what is happening right in front of them, the higher the chances of Labour seizing power are.
“This is not the time to leave. This is the time to increase our efforts,” says MP Louise Ellman.
Tell me – what efforts exactly are we talking about here?
Malcolm Ericsson, By email
Draw the right conclusion
So, letter writer Kay Bagon thought your cartoon suggesting Shamima Begum is not welcome anywhere other than the moon was in poor taste (Jewish News, 8 March).
No doubt she would share a platform with Diane Abbott, who blames the home secretary for the death of Ms Begum’s baby.
Shamima Begum chose the pitiful life which she presently finds herself in. She could have chosen to stay in Bethnal Green, where her baby would have enjoyed excellent treatment at the Royal London Hospital.
But instead she chose a vile life dedicated to a repugnant terror group, devoid of all humanity, which engages in the slaughter of adults and children alike, beheadings, the rape of women and girls and the suppression of human rights, and which would like nothing more than to exterminate all Jews and other non-Muslims.
Come to The Big Family Show & Expo on 17 March!
Even as an adult, Ms Begum expressed no regret for choosing her life with ISIS, nor did she have much sympathy for the British teenagers blown up at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, which she saw as a reasonable tit-for-tat action by terrorist.
I would like to make Kay Bagon a public offer. I will pay for her to take a flight to Syria so that she can travel to the last remaining ISIS stronghold and see conditions for herself.
If she is treated with humanity, I will be the first to offer her a public apology in your paper.
The only condition I attach is that she must tell them that she is Jewish.
I hope she does not mind if I save some money by booking her a one-way flight. She won’t be needing a return ticket.
Simon Aaron, Southgate
Why criticism is good
You published letters in your 7 March edition objecting to Jews outside Israel criticising the Jewish state.
Barry Maltz, for example, suggests we would do better to direct our comments to regimes such as Syria and Iran.
Surely no state, organisation or individual should be exempt from critical comment, reasonably and thoughtfully expressed.
We do our support for Israel damage by stating that it is totally unconditional. Under Netanyahu’s leadership, there is ample ground for querying some of his actions.
It is to Israel’s credit that she has a democracy that permits criticism of its government by its own citizens – a feature singularly lacking among its neighbours.
Ian Kay, Wembley
The beresheet miracle
As Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, might have said (but didn’t): “Now follow that!”
Last week, Israel made a pretty good try at following that by arranging for the Beresheet spacecraft now on its way to the lunar surface to send back a selfie from 23,360 miles from Earth.
Hopefully further glory is to follow and to be honest a photo from space is a minor achievement compared with Armstrong’s feat. But it is worth its place in history because it caught the public imagination.
As America’s Nasa space agency found to its cost during the Apollo programme, this a difficult thing to maintain. So full marks to the Beresheet team as we await the hoped-for 11 April lunar touchdown.
Barrie Alexander, Barnet
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