Eamon Dyas In order to complete the final stage of its full-scale invasion of Gaza the IDF says that it will be necessary to forcibly move “1.4 million people - or at least a significant amount of the 1.4 million people” that have now crowded into Rafah. The population of Rafah was around 280,000 before … Continue reading Israel’s Plans for Rafah – Redefining Genocide as a Humanitarian Mission
Palestine
“A Point of Order” on the ICJ Ruling
John McDonnell, the ICJ and another empty House of Commons Michael Murray (The photo shows the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands) On the 19th of March last, Labour MP John McDonnell tweeted: “The Government is sending arms to Israel that may be being used in attacks on Gaza, which under ICJ judgement may be … Continue reading “A Point of Order” on the ICJ Ruling
Historical Context is Crucial—Ernest Bevin and Zionism
John Clayden (The photo shows Ernest Bevin on the right of Churchill, 8 May 1945)The Left and that includes the very influential Zionist left have succeeded in wiping out a substantial chunk of working-class history namely the crucial contribution made by Ernest Bevin. This will come as no surprise to dedicated readers of this magazine … Continue reading Historical Context is Crucial—Ernest Bevin and Zionism
Palestine Links
Video: Al Jazeera Investigation: October 7 (March 2024) Video: Conversation on the Gaza Genocide (Norman Finkelstein & Chris Hedges, 26 March 2024) Germany next up to face Gaza genocide charges in The Hague (Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada, 25 March 2024) Hebrew University of Jerusalem suspends professor (Orly Noy, +972, 23 March 2024) Israel lauds US … Continue reading Palestine Links
What happened on October 7th?
Shielding US Public From Israeli Reports of Friendly Fire on October 7 (Bryce Green, FAIR, 23 February 2024) This seems to be a comprehensive review of Israeli reports of friendly fire incidents on 7 October, reports that have been almost entirely absent from mainstream media in the US (and in Britain and Ireland, as well?). … Continue reading What happened on October 7th?
Edwin Montagu, Anti-Zionist Jew—August 1917
Edwin Montagu, at that time Secretary of State for India, circulated a secret memo on the 23rd August 1917, expressing strong opposition to the proposal to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Memorandum of Edwin Montagu on the Anti-Semitism of the Present (British) Government - Submitted to the British Cabinet, August 1917 "I have chosen the above title … Continue reading Edwin Montagu, Anti-Zionist Jew—August 1917
Workers Party Victory in Rochdale
Workers Party Victory in Rochdale—Thursday 29 February 2024 Labour Affairs congratulates George Galloway on his victory. George Galloway has won a landslide victory in the Rochdale by-election, saying his victory showed Keir Starmer has paid a “high price” for his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict as Labour’s suspended candidate slumped to fourth in its former … Continue reading Workers Party Victory in Rochdale
Starmer’s Gaza Problems—Editorial 1
Keir Starmer has one objective, to win the next general election and form the next government, preferably with a large overall majority. Anything that might endanger achieving that objective will be removed. Starmer identified, early on in his leadership, that one danger was the opposition of the powerful Zionist lobby in the UK. He has consequently gone to … Continue reading Starmer’s Gaza Problems—Editorial 1
Rochdale a Rebuff to Starmer—Editorial 2
The byelection result in Rochdale is a huge rebuff to the political establishment. The Workers Party of Britain chose to make campaigning for the end of the Israel genocide of the inhabitants of Gaza a key point of its programme and this has found strong resonance amongst the voters in the constituency who elected George … Continue reading Rochdale a Rebuff to Starmer—Editorial 2
Zionism, Corbyn and the Prince
Eamon Dyas The idea that a member of the Royal Family would feel compelled to seek the approval of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Sir Ephraim Mirvis (he was awarded his knighthood only last year), before commenting on a conflict in which Israel is committing war crimes is noteworthy. If such war crimes … Continue reading Zionism, Corbyn and the Prince
Rochdale—Another view
Eamon Dyas Zionism in Gaza and the support it gets from the West is a lifting of the “painted veil" that is civilisation. Whatever happens to the Labour vote after this, Labour GH will have a ready-made excuse to explain it. The same excuse will be used to explain the lack of locally sourced energy … Continue reading Rochdale—Another view
Gaza in Parliament, Wednesday 29th February 2024—For the Record
Original SNP motion: That this House calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel; notes with shock and distress that the death toll has now risen beyond 28,000, the vast majority of whom were women and children; further notes that there are currently 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah, 610,000 of whom are children; … Continue reading Gaza in Parliament, Wednesday 29th February 2024—For the Record
“Hague Schmague?” Oy veh!
The outcome of the ICJ case Michael Murray “Ceasefire!” An appendix to an article elsewhere in this issue of Labour Affairs, about the human rights lawyer, Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, KC, and her role in the South African legal team, lists the nine “Provisional Measures” sought in South Africa's Application to the ICJ. The first is: "The State of Israel … Continue reading “Hague Schmague?” Oy veh!
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh: “The Making of a Human Rights Lawyer.”
Michael Murray Introduction: “An bealach seo atá romham” - my destiny Over the desk of Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh, In the busy London office of Matrix (Barristers’ ) Chambers, on the Greys’ Inn Road - also of Brussels and Geneva, hangs a framed pamphlet with a photograph on its cover of a smiling twelve year old … Continue reading Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh: “The Making of a Human Rights Lawyer.”
Gaza in Parliament, January 2024
Gaza debated in the House of Lords, 16 January 2024 Baroness Janke To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs what steps he is taking to secure a lasting ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Gaza. A brief debate followed, during which David Cameron the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs said: … Continue reading Gaza in Parliament, January 2024
Israel at The Hague
South Africa and the World’s Conscience The world has been witnessing, powerless or complicit, the destruction of the people of Gaza through bombing, starvation and disease for the past three months. Israel has said it will continue perhaps for another year. South Africa has taken a step to call what is happening by its proper … Continue reading Israel at The Hague
Authoritarian Liberal Democracy—Editorial
On the 11th November 2023 the largest of a series of ongoing popular demonstrations against Israel’s actions against the population of Gaza took place in London. By some estimates between 800,000 and a million people attended, certainly far more than the official estimates of 300,000. By any standards this was a significant expression of popular feeling, … Continue reading Authoritarian Liberal Democracy—Editorial
Gaza, Dawn of a New World
“Events, dear boy !” Mick Murray “A terrible beauty”? Harold Macmillan was the author of such enduring soundbites, as they would now be called, such as “the winds of change” a euphemistic term for the beginnings of the decolonialisation of Africa and“they’ve never had it so good” to describe the social change in Britain as it began to enjoy … Continue reading Gaza, Dawn of a New World
