Latest news with #JewHatred
Times
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Bob Vylan presented hatred as virtue and the crowd was seduced
T here are moments in history when the veil is pulled back — when we glimpse not just a lapse in judgment, but a rupture in the moral fabric of our society. Glastonbury 2025 was such a moment. When I responded to the appalling events at the Somerset festival last weekend by referring to them as 'vile Jew hatred', I was giving voice to what many in the Jewish community have known for a long time. That the kind of rhetoric heard in the punk duo Bob Vylan's chant of 'Death, death to the IDF' — the Israel Defence Forces — though clothed in the guise of justice and liberation, is no more than thinly veiled anti-Jewish hatred. However, it has been disturbing to read the responses of many last week who were unwilling to accept this characterisation, and unable to distinguish between reasoned criticism on the one hand, and outright antisemitic incitement on the other.
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The IDF is not just Israel's army: it is a symbol of Jewish self-defence
Anti-Zionists are the edgiest cowards around. Leftists revelled in Bob Vylan's Glastonbury hate rally as a dramatic shifting of the Overton Window in their favour. A throng of middle-class festival-goers led in a chant of 'death to the IDF' by a performer who demanded that Palestine is free 'from the river to the sea' and recalled working for 'f***ing Zionists' – all carried live on the BBC iPlayer, no less. But now Jews are fighting back. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has blasted 'toxic Jew-hatred' posing as 'edgy political commentary'. The Jewish Leadership Council declaimed an 'obscene display of extremist hatred'. The anti-Zionists, meanwhile, have argued that Vylan's chant was nothing more than criticism of Israel and its military operation in Gaza. In fact, they say, it is Vylan's detractors who are the real anti-Semites for conflating Israel with Jews. If the Palestinians must be patronised by grandstanding Westerners, they deserve better than these faint-hearted crybullies. Not that the feelings of the Chief Rabbi or communal organisations have any impact on anti-Zionists. Lived experience is sacrosanct for every minority apart from Jews. For a movement that appears to glory in violent rhetoric, when consequences rear their head they fold like a Hamas command centre paid a visit by the Israeli Air Force. They embrace nuance and complexity and all those other traits of the snivelling liberals they scorn. Their anti-Zionism retreats from banner slogans to multi-page footnotes. Yes, they cavil, the IDF is a conscript army made up almost exclusively of Jews, but that doesn't mean calling for its 'death' is a call for death to Jews. (Disparate impact is another doctrine of the Left that applies to every minority except the Jews.) Why do they cry ' death to the IDF'? The Israeli army is civilian led. Why not death to the Israeli prime minister, or the defence minister, or the security cabinet? It is not just a matter of what rhymes. The IDF is not just Israel's army; it is the symbol and the substance of Jewish self-defence and Jewish sovereignty. Without the IDF, there would be no Israel, and this is exactly what they want. Across 2,000 years of exile from their homeland, Jews were reviled, calumnied, excluded, expelled, pogrommed, and exterminated. As the Passover Haggadah observes: 'Not only one has risen up against us to destroy us, but in every generation they rise up to destroy us.' The restoration of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel was about ensuring that future generations had a means of defending themselves. More would come to destroy them, but this time they'd be prepared. Strong Jews, sovereign Jews, Jews you can't push around. For two millennia, these were concepts not merely revolutionary but fantastical. But now they are lived out every day in Israel. Political anti-Zionism is a project to separate the Jewish people from the theory and practice of Jewish self-determination. The Israeli army is all that stands between 'death to the IDF' and 'death to the Jews'.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC boss Tim Davie was at Glastonbury during Bob Vylan set
The BBC's director-general was at Glastonbury Festival when Bob Vylan led chants of 'Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)' that were broadcast live. It is understood Tim Davie was on a visit to meet staff at the Somerset music event on Saturday afternoon when the set was taking place. He was informed after Bobby Vylan, one half of the British rap punk duo, led his audience in chants that also included 'Free, free Palestine'. The performance, which took place at the West Holts Stage, was livestreamed by the BBC but the organisation later expressed regret for not stopping its broadcast of the 'unacceptable' set. A BBC spokesperson said: 'The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.' The news of Mr Davie's presence at the festival comes as the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis berated the BBC for what he called 'the airing of vile Jew-hatred' and the broadcaster's 'belated and mishandled response'. The corporation has faced strong criticism for continuing to livestream the performance on iPlayer with on-screen warnings about discriminatory language. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom saying it was 'very concerned' by the decision and the Culture Secretary claimed the issue should have been foreseeable and constituted 'a problem of leadership' for the BBC. In a post on X, Sir Ephraim wrote: 'This is a time of national shame. 'The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. 'It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. 'Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.' Irish rap trio Kneecap, including member Liam Og O hAnnaidh who appeared in court earlier this month charged with a terror offence, took to the stage directly after Bob Vylan and led chants of 'Free Palestine'. On Monday, Avon and Somerset Police said it had launched a probe into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings, with a senior detective appointed to lead the investigation. A police spokesman said: 'This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage. 'The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.' In a statement on Monday, the BBC said: 'Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC's output but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive. 'The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. 'We welcome Glastonbury's condemnation of the performance. 'The performance was part of a livestream of the West Holts stage on BBC iPlayer. 'The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. 'In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand. 'The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.' US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau announced that Bob Vylan's US visas had been revoked due to 'their hateful tirade at Glastonbury', with the duo scheduled to tour in Chicago, Brooklyn and Philadelphia in October. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons on Monday the Government was 'exasperated' with the 'lack of account from the leadership' at the BBC. Ms Nandy said the incident at Worthy Farm had raised 'very, very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC about the operational oversight and the way in which editorial standards are understood', adding that she wanted to see 'rapid action' from the broadcaster. Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said the scenes at Glastonbury raised wider concerns about society. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'There are some lessons, I think, for broadcasters from this, but let's also not shy away from the issue, which is people in a crowd glorifying violence. 'I don't think it's something we'd associate with any music festival, but it's a wider societal problem.' He added:'It's possible, I think, to be completely concerned by the scenes in Gaza and not stray into the kind of behaviour and endorsement that we saw with that performance. 'And I'm deeply shocked to be honest, that people would even not realise what I think they're participating in when they do that.' Glastonbury Festival organisers also condemned Bob Vylan's chants, saying it was 'appalled' by what was said on stage, adding 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence'. Bob Vylan formed in Ipswich in 2017 and have released four albums addressing issues such as racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan is the stage name of Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports. His bandmate drummer uses the alias Bobbie Vylan. In a statement posted to Instagram, he said: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. 'As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.'
Fox News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
We can't ignore the danger from those who want to ‘globalize the intifada.' We need to take action
Americans are now used to hearing chants of "globalize the intifada" in American cities and campuses. It has become so normalized that even a leading mayoral candidate in New York City feels comfortable downplaying the phrase as an expression of "a desperate desire for equality and equal rights." That is jarring enough. But as evidence mounts of an actual intifada – an anti-Israel, Jew-hating terror campaign, waged on our shores – it is past time to take those demonstrations, and their rhetoric, seriously. A movement that foments attacks against Jews and Israel-supporters is not a harmless expression of solidarity with Gaza. Yet, many Americans contextualize anti-Jewish violence within the framework of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in particular, Israel's war on Hamas. That misses the point. There is a contingent of people in this country who despise Jews and Israel, seek to destroy both, and were simply waiting for an excuse to act on their hatred. Israelis know what an intifada really means, because they lived it, twice. It was when every cafe, bus and nightclub in Israel was made a target for gruesome attacks against civilians. Now, Americans are learning what it looks like when "globalized." Pennsylvania Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro had to evacuate his family in the middle of the night on Passover because an anti-Israel lunatic firebombed his house, ranting about the governor's support for Israel. In Washington, DC, in May, a radical activist chanting "Free Palestine" allegedly executed two Israeli embassy staffers leaving an American Jewish Committee event. Most recently, in Boulder, Colo., a foreign national who has been living here illegally since 2023 launched a fiery attack on demonstrators who were calling for the release of the hostages being held by Hamas. The attacker told investigators "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead" and that he had researched and planned the attack for more than a year, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Rather than raise a national conversation about the violent anti-Israel, Jew-hating movement, these incidents disappear into broader discussions of "antisemitism and Islamophobia" rising due to the war in Gaza. It's as if violence against American Jews is some kind of natural outcome of Israel's quest to free the hostages Hamas holds in brutal conditions and destroy Hamas, a terror group bent on destroying Israel. As a former envoy to the Middle East, I know the difference between a genuine peace movement and one that merely serves as a cover for chaos, violence and murder. But it doesn't take an expert to see which one the globalized intifada is. Calls for "intifada" to "free Palestine from the river to the sea by any means necessary" were always incompatible with characterizing these as "anti-war," "pro-ceasefire" protests, or a movement for "Palestinian rights," peace or a so-called "two-state solution." The movement has never been about establishing a Palestinian state. It's about destroying Israel because, the movement's adherents fundamentally believe, Jews are not legitimate sovereigns in the land of Israel. The movement's ideology licenses its adherents to take extreme measures to destroy Israel, including targeting Jews and Israel supporters worldwide. Treating anti-Jewish attacks as unfortunate byproducts of geopolitical tensions reveals a dangerous misunderstanding of how antisemitism operates. Jew-hatred doesn't emerge from policy disagreements; it's an ancient prejudice that adapts to contemporary circumstances. Medieval Europeans blamed Jews for the plague. Twentieth-century fascists blamed them for economic collapse. Today's antisemites target Jews around the world because Israel exists. The global intifada is just a rebranded version of a very old hatred. And it's not just a Jewish problem. The global intifada does not care who it harms in its quest. One way we can contain the problem is by keeping the intifada out. Some international students and some immigrants who were indoctrinated to hate Jews and Israel have imported intolerable bigotry. President Donald Trump deserves credit for having highlighted this issue long ago, recognizing that violent individuals crossing our borders pose a threat to our country, Jews and non-Jews alike. As a former envoy to the Middle East, I know the difference between a genuine peace movement and one that merely serves as a cover for chaos, violence and murder. But of late, the threat to Jews has become very significant. It's alarming that these terrorists got as far as they did, and it is highly likely that there are more radicals just like them biding their time. Effective anti-intifada strategy requires deporting aliens who support violence – and keeping them out in the first place. Hopefully by now we clearly see the danger. Anti-Jewish violence – even when cloaked as "anti-Zionist" – is not political discourse. Calling to "globalize" a campaign of civilian murder and mayhem is not part of a political debate. Targeting individuals with violence due to who they are or what they believe is a violation of every principle we hold sacred. Those who chant "globalize the intifada" have told us exactly who they are and what they intend — it's time we paid attention and connected the dots.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Eric Adams signs executive order adopting Holocaust remembrance group's definition of antisemitism
Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order Sunday adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism, as he vowed to ramp up the city campaign to combat Jew hatred. He also introduced legislation urging the City Council to approve the IHRA definition, which would make it official law. The IHRA definition is considered by many Jewish leaders to be the standard in fighting antisemitism. 'Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,' the IHRA definition states. Adams announced the order during a discussion with Dr. Phil Sunday night at the Tribeca Synagogue. It comes as he faces re-election and plans to run as an independent on an 'End Semitism' ballot line. 'Antisemitism is a vile disease that's been spreading across our nation and our city. What's worse, since Hamas' terror attacks on October 7, 2023, we have seen this hateful rhetoric become normalized on our campuses, in our communities, and online as antisemitic propaganda far too often masquerades as 'activism,'' Adams said. More than half of the hate crimes reported in the city in March victimized Jews, even though they account for just 11 percent of the population, the mayor noted. 'We know this moment demands bold, decisive action to crack down on anti-Jewish hatred,' Adams said. 'Today, we signed a landmark executive order to adopt an internationally recognized definition of antisemitism, but we must go further. I am calling on the City Council to join this commitment to target antisemitism everywhere it exists and immediately pass a bill to codify this definition into law. It's time we all come together to eradicate this hatred from our city, once and for all.' At the state level, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who's also running for mayor — issued an order barring state entities from doing business with firms that back the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel before his resignation. Gov. Kathy Hochul has retained the policy. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has his own pro-Israel policy. In 2021, he announced that he pulled $111 million in investments out of the firm that owns Ben & Jerry's because of the ice cream maker's boycott of Israel's occupied territories. DiNapoli is the sole manager of the $274 billion state Common Retirement Fund.
