To The Independent
I have suffered from philo-Semitism all my life, so I would like to counter the fear of anti-Semitism in the UK being stirred by Benjamin Netanyahu and others.
Through no fault of my own (other than the double “n” in my name), I have been credited with the wisdom of Solomon, the business acumen of a Rothschild and the humour of Woody Allen. I deserve no more credit for all these attributes than those who suffer from the opposite but, in the great balance of accounts, my experience of British life from 1957 has been unadulteratedly good.
I cannot think of a less anti-Semitic place on Earth. In fact, an Englishman, who went to Eton, once mentioned to me that he thought it really frustrated some of his pure-bred English colleagues that we were the only club they couldn’t join.
So let’s not up the fear factor in this green and pleasant land.
Anthony Lipmann, East Molesey, Surrey, England
A charming letter that warms the heart. There is difference between being an anti- semite ( which is ugly racism) and opposing some of the policies of Israel.
Netanyahu is right about some of the horrific anti-Semitism in some countries in Europe, but the UK is not one of them. His call for European Jews to emigrate to Israel should not be heeded unless the individual in question feels genuinely threatened. I suspect, though I can’t prove this, that Netanyahu wants more Jews in Israel to bolster his chances of reelection. If thats the case, its a cynical strategy, and one that hope completely fails.
Ironically Jews are more in danger in Israel than anywhere else, where they are under risk of being shot at or blown up, so why anyone would want to live there is beyond me.
I guess criticizing Israel is now anti-semitic…
They would like us to think so
Who cares though?