Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East.
(From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Roger Waters: "One Baroness Deech, (Nee Fraenkel) disputed the fact that Israel is an apartheid state ..."

He's done it again: made remarks that suggest that he' might be at least a teeny weeny bit antisemitic.

The incorrigible Roger Waters of the rock group Pink Floyd seemingly needs no excuse to deride and demonise Israel.

But  famous British violinist Nigel Kennedy's remarks at the BBC Proms (described  below) have been characterised by Waters as the "inspiration" for issuing a new open letter denouncing Israeli "apartheid" and calling on fellow musicians to boycott Israel (see here for details).

Note, in this extract, the reference to pro-Israel Baroness Deech's maiden name, just in case her Jewishness might not be at once apparent (incidentally, this distinguished lady's father, Josef Fraenkel, was a renowned Yiddishist and co-author of Theodor Herzl, which appeared in 1943):
"Nigel Kennedy the virtuoso British violinist and violist, at The Recent Promenade Concerts at The Albert Hall in London, mentioned that Israel is apartheid. Nothing unusual there you might think, then one Baroness Deech, (Nee Fraenkel) disputed the fact that Israel is an apartheid state and prevailed upon the BBC to censor Kennedy’s performance by removing his statement. Baroness Deech produced not one shred of evidence to support her claim and yet the BBC, non political, supposedly, acting solely on Baroness Deech’s say so, suddenly went all 1984 on us. Well!! Time to stick my head above the parapet again, alongside my brother, Nigel Kennedy, where it belongs. And by the way, Nigel, great respect man. So here follows a letter last re-drafted in July."
"If 'music is a great equaliser ... a bridge'," why boycott Israel?"  That's the question I'd put, if I could, to Nigel Kennedy (who used that phrase; see below), and not only to Mr Kennedy, but to Waters and other musicians who refuse to perform in Israel and who encourage others to follow their example.

Speaking from ["East"] Jerusalem in 2007 Mr Kennedy told the leftist Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz:

"I grew up in South London. There were Christians and Muslims and Jews, people from all over the world: the Balkans, India. As a boy, when I had no idea about religion, I nevertheless understood that there were many types of people with different beliefs, that there are many religions and that you have to respect all of them because they are all valid. That's what made me have diverse interests, and not be single-minded."
But he went on to say:
"I became aware of the Palestinian story while I was a student in New York. My girlfriend then was Palestinian, and, through her, I began to familiarize myself with and understand the problem even before the [separation] wall and the other atrocities. She had to return home every year or she would lose her citizenship, and, like it was for all of us students, that wasn't exactly her thing. Then I understood that it was simply a way to harass the Palestinians and prevent them from studying.
And today, I was really shocked when I saw the wall here. It's a new type of apartheid, barbaric behavior. How can you impose collective punishment and divide people from one another? We are all residents of the same planet. I would think that the world learned something from South Africa. And the world should boycott a nation that didn't learn. That's why I won't perform in your country." [Emphasis added]
Recently, speaking on BBC Radio 4 about his appearance at the BBC Proms, where he performed Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" with the young members of the Palestine Strings, Mr Kennedy said (listen here; hat tip: reader Jean Vercors):
"Music is a great equaliser and you can't make music unless it's a collaborative affair .... [It] represents an idealistic form of politics.... These problems of apartheid in Israel at the moment are extreme.  And when it was South Africa people did something about it [BBC interviewer enthusiastically "Yeah ..."] .... [Music's] a bridge whih shows that every human being from whatever background can get on with another human being from whatever background. People can work together. "
And here he is at the concert itself, using that "apartheid" word again, to a standing ovation.
 .
"Just marvellous!" says Al Beeb's news anchor at the end of this report on rehearsals, in which the appearance of the young players from the Disputed Territories is presented as a "boost for Palestine"; I assume she's paying tribute to the musicians' undoubted skills and not to the political propaganda:


Mr Kennedy, who in 2007 also said
 "I have lived [in Krakow] for the past seven years.... My life in Krakow is very rich when it comes to music.... I also play with a Klezmer trio, Trio Kroke. Kroke is the Yiddish word for Krakow. We play everything, from Jewish music to Balkan music...."
is undoubtedly well-meaning, but his and Waters' characterisation of Israel as an "apartheid" state is wrong, for it is not that at all, as this black South African leader's daughter, who knows what real apartheid is, eloquently explains (hat tip reader Ian).

9 comments:

  1. Elders essay is up on Algemeiner
    We Have Peace – Don’t Ruin it With a Peace Plan
    http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/08/20/we-have-peace-dont-ruin-it-with-a-peace-plan/

    ReplyDelete
  2. thank you for exposing this great article and videos

    Kennedy has been brainwashed by his palestinian romance

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another Nazi memorabilia story from NZ, there seems to be a lot of those.
    Auction of Nazi relics riles New Zealand Jews
    http://www.timesofisrael.com/auction-of-nazi-relics-riles-new-zealand-jews/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, by coincidence Jean (above) told me about that last night. I hadn't realised there are rather a lot, though.

      Delete
  4. BAR REFAELI TO ROGER WATERS
    Take My Pretty Face Out of Your Israel-Hating Concerts

    Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/21/bar-refaeli-roger-waters-concert-israel/#ixzz2cifag1OI
    Visit Fishwrapper: http://www.fishwrapper.com

    Ironically, Waters' performances also include background video that uses a glamor shot of Bar Refaeli -- and the Israeli smokeshow doesn't like it one bit.

    Bar tweeted Wednesday in Hebrew, "Roger Waters, you should remove my picture from videos at your concerts. If you’re going to boycott, then go all the way."

    Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/21/bar-refaeli-roger-waters-concert-israel/#ixzz2cifag1OI
    Visit Fishwrapper: http://www.fishwrapper.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mr Roger Waters
    If you want to boycott Israel, do it right

    All of those who are ticked off at Israel and speak of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) should set a personal example. Here are same ways they can make a personal sacrifice with their anti-Israel boycott:


    Much of the Windows operating system was developed by Microsoft Israel. Computers should have a sign attached saying “Israel Inside.” The Pentium NMX Chip technology was designed at Intel in Israel. Both the Pentium 4 microprocessor and the Centrum processor were entirely designed, developed, and produced in Israel. Voice-mail technology was developed in Israel. So set a personal example and throw away your computers. And don’t check voice-mails.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The ADL's Open Letter to Waters:
    http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/08/23/an-open-letter-to-roger-waters-from-the-adl-your-animosity-towards-israel-is-colored-by-anti-semitism/

    ReplyDelete

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