Not to worry folks, he’s just a politician living in the very country that created the modern Middle East and all of its subsequent problems.
And not to worry folks, he’s just doing what it takes to be re-elected in a country where they rank Israel lowest on biased surveys, and where their glorious national media outlet, the BBC, much prefers to show the mourning family of a suicide bomber than any image of his victims.
We’re talking about London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, of course. The other week he made some idiotic comment to a Jewish reporter regarding the Holocaust, over which a whole mess of (entirely unnecessary) noise was made. This week he said,
“Israel’s expansion includes ethnic cleansing…Palestinians who had lived in that land for centuries were driven out by systematic violence and terror aimed at ethnically cleansing what became a large part of the Israeli state.”
“Today the Israeli government continues seizures of Palestinian land for settlements, military incursions into surrounding countries and denial of the right of Palestinians expelled by terror to return.
“Ariel Sharon, Israel’s prime minister, is a war criminal who should be in prison not in office.”
For some reason, a whole bunch of British Jews are upset with him about these comments. I don’t know why, he sounds a little bit like some Israeli politicians on the Left and even a little like American rabbis such as Michael Lerner.
Ken Livingstone made his name with respect to Jews and Israel when he invited Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi to come and speak publicly as his guest. The Sheik has been known to say some nasty things in his time, such as,
“The Israelis might have nuclear bombs but we have the children bomb and these human bombs must continue until liberation.” “Calling for peace at this time is treason.”
…but Ken was not apologetic. On the contrary, he claimed about the Sheik that people did not wish to hear “uncomfortable truths.”
I say to Ken, some people do not wish to hear uncomfortable lies, but we understand a politician pandering to his base. Back in the day, even Arik Sharon used to do it. 🙂
(I hope the British Jewish community leaves this guy alone. Everyone will be better off if this person is ignored).
Thank you for every other informative blog.
Please Josh, “Jew-spite” is the latest fashion across the pond, hadn’t you noticed? If anything these remarks will only increase Livingstone’s popularity.
That said, I think that Britain should lead by example and leave Northern Ireland – I mean talk about colonization and occupation! Then they can do a national study on the fine arts of dentisty and orthodentia.
Ken just couldn’t keep his mouth shut (doesn’t he know your supposed to keep your Jew-spite to yourself?).
I’ll forever blame the English for the way they planned Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with their narrow streets and dense/crowded building placement. Ever try to get from across London? Not in 15 minutes. Some idea here in the holy land. Sure Tel Aviv has the Ayalon freeway, but I grew up in Montreal where getting anywhere by car takes no more than 20 minutes or so during the day or at night due to pretty good urban planning, IMO. I suppose then there were some good things about the French ‘occupation’ of Quebec after all.
I do believe England is trying to make the world forget what they did in the ME, and are instead convincing everyone the US was completely and totally responsible. Actually, France has been trying to do the same thing now that I think about it.
Um, ck, that pic is way too flattering. Will you draw some horns on his head and maybe a forehead tattoo that says, “mush.” Thanks.