Actually I probably do single out Israel compared to other countries. There a number of reasons, which I think are justified:
a) Its a western democracy. You get judged by higher standards (standards that Israel tries to use to justify itself, btw).
b) Given the support given to it by our governments, I might be able to affect it (as opposed to Nick Cohen's bonkers column today - maching against the abuses in the Sudan, which would achieve what exactly?).
c) The fucking lies, faslification, dodgy arguments, propoganda, distortions and outright threats used by zionists. The truth matters to me - though clearly not Hirsch and his ilk.
d) Irritation with the self-pity of Zionists (including a tactic new to me, of discovering blood libels in the rhetoric of anti-zionists. Who even knows in Britain what the blood libel was now?). Fucking grow up already.

I have yet to be convinced that anti-semitism is particularly prevalent in the UK. Racism yes, depressingly so. Given that most Jewish people are "white" and most British people are indifferent to religion - it seems unlikely that it would be.
Cian OConnor | 03.26.06 - 9:08 pm | #

"(just as support for Israel may be a cloak for anti-Arab or anti-Muslim racism)"--why does self-proclaimed "Muslim Refusenik" Irshad Manji come to mind? She seems to be pro-Israel precisely because it's the scourge of the Arabs, as in "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Montag | 03.26.06 - 9:59 pm | #