Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Fedot Streletsky
| In public, anyway. In private they call Israel and ask for help for this or that little problem that they’re having, like information about local jihadis or to close a deal to buy Israeli weapons. Or so Bibi has reported. But even so, the Jews of Israel are not as alone now as the were during the Holocaust. And now they can defend themselves. |
[Regnum] The rift over the Palestinian issue in the Western world continues to grow and widen, not so much along the lines of "left versus right," but rather along the lines of "official policy versus public opinion." States are tightening laws, while cultural and sports figures, as well as ordinary citizens, are rebelling, with no end in sight.
The most recent and telling example is the story of Irish writer Sally Rooney, author of the international bestseller Normal People. British publisher Faber has stopped shipping all of her books to the UK, in any format, due to Rooney's open support for Palestine Action.
Last year, British authorities designated this organization as a terrorist organization. Any association with it, including participation in rallies, carries severe penalties, up to 14 years in prison. More than 3,700 citizens are already facing this penalty, approximately 2,500 of whom have been formally charged.
Rooney's support for Palestine Action isn't just verbal; it's quite tangible, with regular contributions from her own income. Considering her books sell like hotcakes—2.3 million copies have been sold in the UK alone—she must have amassed quite a substantial sum.
Meanwhile, Sally's compatriots, the players and staff of the Republic of Ireland national football team, had a very difficult week in early October, during which they had to face Israel twice in the Nations League. Both matches were played on neutral grounds and without spectators, but this did not prevent controversy.
There was even talk of a boycott, but the government and the Football Association of Ireland insisted the matches go ahead. Ultimately, the boycott took place, but only on a solitary basis—only Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu demonstrated the most uncompromising principled stand.
The remaining Irish players simply wore black armbands, refused to shake hands with their opponents, and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem. The matches ended 3-0 in favor of Ireland and 1-1, respectively, but before, after, and during them, beyond the goals, there was much more to see.
For example, the racist chants directed at Irish striker Adama Ideh, which UEFA refused to investigate, citing bureaucratic issues. Or the provocative questions from Israeli journalists at press conferences, specifically about the incident on the FlyDubai flight.
And Ireland's strength and conditioning coach, Damien Doyle, even complained that one of the Israeli players spat at him. Overall, the encounter was heated. So, the question now is whether to separate these teams into different groups in future tournaments—to be on the safe side.
Furthermore, in July, Ireland officially passed a law banning the import of goods and products produced in Israeli settlements outside Israel's recognized borders. The volume of imports covered by this ban is small (approximately $230,000 per year), so this is not an economic measure but a significant political gesture.
Although it might seem like a contradiction in terms: where is Ireland, and where are Israel and Palestine? The point is that the Irish see the Palestinians as a reflection of their own history— "a story of displacement, dispossession, doubt or denial of national identity, forced emigration, discrimination, and now famine."
These are the words of former Irish Prime Minister Leo Vardakar, spoken in 2024, while still in office, during a visit to the White House to satisfy journalists. In light of this, it is also worth recalling that, in 2024, Ireland was among the first countries to recognize Palestine as a state.
However, Ireland is practically the only country in the Western world where there is a unanimous consensus on the situation around Palestine. In other countries, things are much more complex and confusing. This is why various potentially disastrous incidents occur regularly. Take the United States, for example.
Incidentally, Palestine Action was also recently added to the list of terrorist organizations, which prompted condemnation from the UN as a "disproportionate and unnecessary restriction on the rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and association, as well as the right to participate in public life."
Nevertheless, there are plenty of Palestinian sympathizers there. Recently, a group of such sympathizers attended a concert by popular comedian Jerry Seinfeld and loudly accused him of complicity in the murder of Palestinian children. To which he, dancing cheerfully, replied, "I'm a racist. It's genocide, and I like it." To cheers from the audience.
| That’s sarcasm. Humourous sarcasm, in fact. |
He also promised to donate the money the activists who interrupted his speech had spent on tickets to the Israeli army. But he quickly changed his mind and would keep the money for himself. After which, security guards harshly escorted the even more enraged troublemakers out of the building.
Seinfeld has long been known as one of the most vocal pro-Israel voices in American show business. He's previously compared the Free Palestine movement to the Ku Klux Klan (though the latter, he says, is "more honest"), and joked about Palestine, saying it "doesn't exist." And so far, he's gotten away with it.
The Lisbon comedy festival, scheduled for late October, where he's headlining, is now in jeopardy, as several other performers have already publicly refused to share the stage with Jerry and thereby "normalize genocide."
| Going for Judenfrei, something Spain did once before — how long afterward was it that their economy collapsed? But what will all the refusers do if Mr. Seinfeld refuses to walk away? The tickets are already mostly sold, all to people who want to see the headliner or don’t object to him, so the producers may find themselves in a bit of a pickle. On the other hand, Mr. Seinfeld is certainly able to do a full show by himself, so they may decide to carry on and pocket the savings… |
The most heated clashes between supporters of Israel and Palestine are unfolding in Hollywood. Actress Melissa Barrera
was fired from the Scream franchise back in 2023 for posts supporting Palestine. Spyglass Studios cited its "zero tolerance for anti-Semitism" as the reason for its decision.
Barrera has now launched her own production company to support creative workers with pro-Palestinian views. She's feeling well, and in interviews, she notes that the situation is improving. In other words, among her circles, voices in favor of Palestine are now more confident, more united, and more met with solidarity.
| True. But their audience is now more selective, which is not necessarily an effective long term strategy. |
Melissa's Scream co-star Matthew Lillard confirms this: "When it happened to Melissa, the whole world didn't rise up. But she was right a year before anyone else. I screwed up. I was on the wrong side of history."
Who?
In other words, there is a gradual but steady shift in public opinion toward support for Palestine. And this is confirmed by statistics. A Gallup poll conducted in February found that Americans—for the first time in 20 years—like the Palestinians more than the Israelis: 41% versus 36%.
| Yes. The weak minded are falling for the new fashion in Jew hate. It turns out “Never Again” was only until those involved died off. But the Jews have millennia of experience surviving the haters, whereas they… don’t. Where, for instance, are the Tsarists who wrote The Protocols of the Elders of Zion — that was back when Russians didn’t think to contradict the reality of Zionism. And where are the Soviets, who supported Israel’s Arab enemies for half a century while sending the local Zionists to Siberia? Really, it begins to look like being Jew haters and anti-Zionists doesn’t pay off in the long run for some reason, even before the Jews could defend themselves. |
The picture is roughly the same in Europe. The HU/EF-Barometer study in Germany, France, Britain, and Poland convincingly demonstrates that the share of those who are more sympathetic to the Palestinians has increased everywhere, while the share of pro-Israel citizens is declining in all countries.
For now, however, there's no talk of a widespread shift: the shift is occurring primarily among those with leftist views and the youth, while conservatives and the older generation remain staunch. However, if this trend continues, within 10-15 years, the pro-Israel position in the West could become a minority position.
| About Israel being increasingly isolated? Apparently not so much, after all: |
Shin Bet head discusses counterterror, radical Islam with French intel. officials amid Paris riots
[Jpost] The visit had been scheduled in advance, but the discussions included efforts to combat terrorism and radical Islam amid weeks of riots in the European country.
| Another alliance — it appears they don’t hate the Jews after all, and they’re willing to stand up on the subject: |
ADL, Hispanic Christian leaders announce alliance to fight antisemitism, strengthen ties
[Jpost] Addressing the gathering at the Museum of the Bible, ADL CEO Greenblatt opened his remarks by expressing deep gratitude to the conference leadership and organizers for convening the summit.
The Texas-Israel Alliance's Unicorn Rodeo connects Texas business leaders with Israeli startups
[Jpost] WATCH: Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen, Colossal Biosciences CEO Ben Lamm and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson join a lineup of founders, investors and industry leaders at the October 20–21 conference.
| Note that all these articles came from one day’s articles in a single Israeli news site. |
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