Letters to the Editor: ‘Unis are giving free rein to BDS bullies’

Such a positive response

I received an overwhelmingly positive response to my piece about my eating disorder [Jewish News, 9 March]. At least 10 people have since opened up to me about their mental health difficulties, and I have had support from many more friends and family and people on Facebook. The community has demonstrated it will support its members to talk freely and openly about a subject that is so often feared and stigmatised. Although we still have a long way to go until the topic of mental health is stigma-free in all societies and communities, one can hope this will happen sooner rather than later. This is only made possible if we are all open to talking about our mental health, and by continuing to support the people who do.

Sophie Jacob, By email

Unis are giving free rein to BDS bullies

Your front page headline [Jewish News, 9 March] claims to speak for UK Jews who are strongly opposed to the Israeli counter-boycott strategy and new law. It certainly does not speak for me. The community organisations in your list that had problems with the law have thus far failed miserably to deal with the often violent and always intimidating tactics of the BDS and similar organisations purporting to support the perpetual Palestinian victim. In the UK today, universities are giving free rein to the BDS bullies while Jewish students who dare to express support for Israel are escorted off campus. Shops that sell Israeli products are closed down. Democracy is a two way street, a privilege and not a right, and until supporters of Israel can express their views without having to face the aggressive, muzzling tactics of the pro-Palestinian lobby it is in the interests of democracy and a truly free society to boycott the boycotters.

Roisy Nevies, NW4

Enough of this illiberal shrieking from the left

Oh gosh! It’s not fair. I want to be able to call for boycotts of Israel for any reason I choose from the safety of my UK home, and still go there on holiday.

I love Palestinians. I love everybody. Down with the settlers – they are the problem, along with the two-state solution and land for peace. The PA are the good guys, and even Hamas aren’t so bad.

Right-wing government – it’s all the religious Zionists’ fault. Boycott Israel! Two-state solution! Rebuild Gaza. Open the borders. Colonialist power.

Hold on… do you mean to say Israel may not let me in? Surely that’s not democratic? Is it?

Of course it is. If you want to change it, go and live there, fight for the country, pay tax; there are enough enemies of Israel without galut Jews joining the chorus.

Your leader article of 2 March was inaccurate – it is not a “unanimous” criticism of Israeli policy, as I and many of my friends and family support Israel’s democratic right to decide its laws as it sees fit. We condemn those comfortable and safe Jews of the Left, whose illiberal shrieks fill the air every time something doesn’t go their way.

For the record, the Green Line is so called because it was drawn with a green pen on the map during the Armistice talks in 1949 and was never meant to be a permanent border.

I quote from the Israel-Egypt treaty at the time: “The Armistice Demarcation Line is not to be construed in any sense as a political or territorial boundary, and is delineated without prejudice to rights, claims and positions of either Party to the Armistice as regards ultimate settlement of the Palestine question.”

Daniel Baum, NW4

The saviours who rescued the 10,000

Allow me to correct a point made by Mike Haan on your letters page [Jewish News, 9 March]. Sponsors for Kindertransportees in 1938/39 were required to guarantee the sum of £50.

This, in the then prevailing economic conditions, was a fair-sized sum. Fortunately, a number of Jewish and non-Jewish organisations stepped into the breach – allowing 10,000 children, myself included, to be saved.

Herbert Haberberg, By email

Clarify these charity shop shabbat rumours before All Aboard suffers lasting damage

The proposed opening of some All Aboard charity shops on a Shabbat has come to our attention. Although not ultra-Orthodox, we are traditional Jewish people who would take offence at the contravening of the Jewish laws by opening on a Shabbat, a true holy day. Apparently the only one to stay closed on a Shabbat would be the Golders Green one. The charity shops have a lot of support from the ultra-Orthodox community and we are sure opening on this holy day would completely stop their contributions. If this rumour is true, we think the rest of the Jewish community should know, before any damage is done to this worthy charity.

Barbara and Brian Bofkin, By email