I’m only putting it here because if I’m silent about these matters it will be used by various groups to infer things about me: I’d rather I said what I think than let others speak for me.

What happened now?

While I was mostly off the grid from Thursday to Saturday the de facto founder of the EDL’s Jewish Division, Roberta Moore, publicly quit the EDL and fired a shot back at some of the people she’d been working with in the EDL. This was, of course, picked up and misinterpreted by such stalwarts of the anti-EDL community as the Jewish Chronicle (find it yourself I’m not linking) and some of the other noted anti-EDL sites. More importantly, Pamela Geller expressed some severe doubts about the soundness of the EDL based on some of the things Roberta had said and on correspondence (some of which I’ve seen) that took place in the background.

Roberta had been scheduled to appear in Strasbourg on behalf of the EDL at an event organised by Stop the Islamisation of America (SIOA) and it’s associated European group. This event was essentially banned because the police in Strasbourg withdrew protection and washed their hands: free speech is dead in Europe, but you knew that. The mere act of Roberta being sanctioned by the EDL leadership to represent them at this international meeting had already caused fits of indignation among some sections of the EDL.

As a direct response to Pamela’s post, Tommy Robinson sent out a heartfelt statement and Pamela promptly published this and moved back into the position of support for the EDL while watching it carefully. For someone largely on the outside, such as her, I don’t think one can ask for much more.

When I first saw Pamela’s reaction to Roberta leaving I was disappointed. Without Pamela’s original endorsement followed by my own careful research and talking to a number of people I knew who had begun to work with the EDL, I might not have investigated the EDL. It was also because I met Roberta a couple of weeks ago and knew something of her plans, that I knew the situation wasn’t as bleak as it first appeared from what Pamela wrote. However, the reaction this elicited from Gates of Vienna, seemingly at the same time as Tommy was sending his statement, was not something I could sign on to either.

Pamela is one of the stalwarts of the counter Jihad. She’s doing great work over in America and I don’t like the way in which she was personally attacked (along with Robert Spencer) over this. Ever since the original counter Jihad blog wars in 2007 and subsequent further separations, I’ve been monumentally dis-heartened by the level of in fighting that goes on. The ranks of the real counter Jihad are so small, we don’t have the power to fight each other and the real enemies we face. I certainly wouldn’t condemn her publicly, even if I disagreed, especially after Tommy’s statement seemed to clear the air. People have carved out many different roles in this fight and there is no point bringing down people who are reaching an audience and educating people because of differences in opinion.

Why does the EDL have a Jewish Division?

The EDL has had a Jewish Division from almost day one to highlight the fact that Jews can also defend England from islamisation and that Jews and all other races have a responsibility to preserve a country that has, broadly speaking, allowed them to thrive. It was, at least at the start, a valuable counter to the charge that the EDL was an extension of previous racist or neo-Nazi groups. The ethos of the EDL wasn’t and I’m still convinced it isn’t today.

What is a Nazi?

Every now and then someone comes out and screams Nazi at someone else. In response to all this Henrik R. Clausen wrote a good piece in EuropeNews: Fascists or National Socialists in the English Defence League? I too have a rather strict definition before I call someone a Nazi. I have to feel that the person would either murder people in cold blood or stand by and watch while others did so based purely on ideological beliefs that someone else is personally sub human. So I tend not to throw the term around. Esmerelda Weatherwax, someone I’ve met and know through her stalwart work at New English Review, has also addressed this subject and is worth taking note of.

Dirty Laundry

But it is the case that there are many people in the UK and the whole world who have a strong belief in a number of “memes” that are wholy incredible and basically wrong. Many of these trace roots back to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and can be seen as Zionist/Jewish conspiracies to take over the world. Seeing as how the US has at least one former President that regularly espouses these views, it’s unsurprising that its a view held by members of the EDL too. It’s hard to think that Islam is a major problem and also believe Jews brought down the World Trade Centre but some manage it.

It’s my belief that learning about Islam’s threat to Israel and the Jews, and connecting that threat with one’s own situation tends to draw people away from chimeras such as a world Zionist conspiracy. Back in the days of my comedy show at Shire Network News I used to frequently joke about splitting infinitives and waiting for my cheque from the World Zionist Conspiracy™. I’m still waiting: I’ll be waiting for a long, long time.

And then there is the unique case of the UK. It’s hard to explain to outsiders the esteem in which the BBC is held in the UK. It has taken people a long time to wake up to its poisonous nature and most still haven’t. It’s hard to blame everyone for their views when the BBC and other media simply trip over themselves trying to find any way to blame Israel and the Jews and the news safe hate group, Zionists, for all the world’s ills.

But the question is how to deal with these people in the EDL? Do you confront them publicly, denounce them, ridicule them or threaten to physically fight them? I don’t think any of those are worth doing. I think you focus on the real target: decreasing the influence of Islam on the lives of non Muslims. Education about Islam will hopefully reduce the importance of these other factions and the inclusion of groups, like Jews, Hindus and homosexuals, who they also tend to distrust or hate, will naturally drive them away.

The King David problem

There is also another problem in the UK in general that is also represented in the ranks of the EDL. I call this the “King David” problem. The EDL started because of the abuse given to returning British soldiers on the streets of Luton. The EDL has a very strong respect for the British military in a way that the UK media seems to have given up on years ago. I like this. However, for years the old nationalist parties attacked Jews for the way in which Israel won its independence from the old British Mandate. At the forefront of this one sided historical attack was the King David hotel bombing. I’ll tackle this one day but not now. Suffice it to say that I don’t think everyone really understands this event.

The Future

As far as saving the UK from increasing islamisation the EDL is the only game in town today. There is no political impetus: there is one weak anti-Europe party (UKIP) but even immigration alone isn’t the issue. It’s only Islamic immigration that is the problem. The UK is still mired in woeful thinking that blames “Asians” for the crimes directly encouraged by the “perfect” behaviour of Mohammed. It’s quite clear that the EDL leadership gets this and its the only widely spread source for information about this for most people. Just see, for example, the article on their website: “Mohammed made me do it” relating to the real underlying reason why there are a shocking number of pedophiliac cases involving gangs of muslims abusing non muslim teenage girls. But the EDL is kept down by the media and the government which both have clearly tried to destroy it’s founders and the organisation itself.

That doesn’t mean I can accept anything within the EDL if the target is Islam, I can’t. But I still feel that the best way to fight the negative influence of Islam on the life of Kuffars in England and allow increasing numbers of people to see the true nature of the threat against Israel and the Jews, lies with people like me inside the EDL as a positive influence rather than outside.

At the time of the launch in May, Silverstein wrote:

I’m flattered that Larry thinks that despite my sharp debating style in my blog comment threads, that I’m a principled, decent representative of my brand of political discourse.

Well, not even a month has passed and let’s just say Derfner has reconsidered Silverstein’s involvement with Israel Reconsidered.

Let’s hear about it from the horse’s mouth.

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2011/06/10/derfner-blog-partnership-suspended/

A few months ago Larry Derfner came to me with an idea I thought was terrific: co-authoring a blog to debate the burning issues of the nature of Israeli society, Israeli democracy and modern Zionism; and to do this from a progressive perspective.  We’d tackle the big philosophical issues that don’t get addressed often in political blogs: Zionism vs. Diasporism; Nakba, Right of Return, Law of Return, Religion vs secularism in Israel, etc.  I was proud and flattered that Larry found me to be a worthy partner for this project.

We began the blog and for the first few weeks it went well, though I think perhaps I didn’t participate on a regular enough basis for Larry.

Then Larry suggested we debate the issue of Nakba and Right of Return.  He warned me that he didn’t agree that the 1948 War was a crucial moral failing of Israel (though he did feel that about 1967).  So I wrote the first post about why I felt Nakba was Israel’s Original Sin and why the Right of Return must be resolved along the lines proposed by the Geneva Accords, with a quota of Palestinian refugees permitted to return to Israel as citizens if they refused the generous compensation package offered to settle elsewhere.

Larry replied with a post I thought rather unfortunately titled, The Right of Return is Wrong.  I felt that this title attempted to be punchy at the cost of presenting the issue in a nuanced way.  Frankly, I thought poorly of Larry’s defense of Israel’s behavior in 1948 and his total dismissal of ROR and Israeli responsibility for Nakba.  In fact, I even used the term “cheap and unworthy” to describe one of Larry’s arguments.  He didn’t like that.  Thought it was insulting, uncivil and violated our agreement to debate the issues in a civil manner.

I told him that though I knew we disagreed about issues, I had no idea his approach to Nakba was going to be so dismissive and I replied in the only way I knew how.

As I watched the comment threads I saw that most of the commenters were either right wingers I’d banned here for violating comment rules or they were Larry’s readers from the Jerusalem Post.  Some of my friends and allies here like Deir Yassin and Leonid came over.  But 80% of the comments were hostile.  And I have a rule that if someone is hostile to me in debate I’m hostile in reply.  It ain’t pretty I admit and people I respect take me to task for it.  But it’s really the only way I know how to deal with provocateurs, trolls and intemperate right wing racists.

All of which made me realize that I couldn’t achieve the tone Larry wanted for the blog.  So we’ve agreed to part company.  It was a worthy experiment.  It’s unfortunate it couldn’t last longer.  But it’s better to recognize something isn’t going to work and end it gracefully, than allow it to drag on with both parties festering in resentment because the partner isn’t living up to his end of the bargain (I don’t see Larry that way, but I imagine he saw me that way or would have had we continued).

I now realize something neither of us took into account before we began.  We thought we should allow comments for the blog.  But in hindsight I think if two people are debating an issue you don’t really need comments.  You are your own commenter in a blog like this.  It probably would’ve taken some of the pressure off me if we’d stopped allowing comments and just debated amongst the two of us.

At any rate, my involvement with Israel Reconsidered is ended. 

For his part, Derfner had this say:

I read Richard Silverstein’s post on Tikun Olam explaining why he left Israel Reconsidered. I have no problem with anything he wrote except this:

“…I have a rule that if someone is hostile to me in debate I’m hostile in reply. It ain’t pretty I admit and people I respect take me to task for it. But it’s really the only way I know how to deal with provocateurs, trolls and intemperate right wing racists.”

My problem with Richard’s replies was that in most cases, he was hostile to people who were not hostile to him, and who were not right-wing racists or provocateurs. (I’m new to the blogosphere; I don’t know what ”trolls” are.) He was hostile to basically everyone whose politics were to the right of his. I disagreed strongly with some of Richard’s opinions, of course – that was why I approached him in the first place – but I had no “problem” with their substance; I did with the way they were often expressed.

In other words, Derfner quickly realized what I have been saying on here for a while now: Silverstein is one nasty piece of work.

A few weeks ago, CNN ran an article called Ten must-read blogs from the Middle East (an article I just noticed today).

The featured blogs are written by people living in the following places:

• Egypt (2)
• Bahrain (2)
• Saudi Arabia
• Yemen
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Gaza

That’s right. CNN’s top 10 Middle Eastern blogs are all from Arab or Muslim places – some of which are represented more than once -  including palestinian-controlled Gaza. Yet no blog from Israel is included.

Nice balanced approach, CNN.

Here’s what she had to say on her blog about the Israeli Arab suspected serial killer

Another nutcase Palestinian Israeli: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_serial_stabbings.  It’s kind of comforting to know that non zionist israelis are as crazy as zionist israelis!

In other words, Barr is comparing a man suspected of murdering innocent people in cold blood with any Israeli who proudly believes in the state of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people.

Mind you, a look at Barr’s blog indicates she’s more than a little obsessed with her hatred of Zionism and Israel.

It looks like television’s gain has become the blogosphere’s loss.

[click to enlarge]

I assume he means politeness like this.

And this:

Dude’s a hypocrite.

Previously on Israellycool:

The Victim

Trash Talking

Update: Ageing hippy-cum-terror-supporter Silverstein has always reminded me of Zachary Smith on Lost in Space.

In his latest attack, Silverstein has decided to post an old photograph of Dersh and ridicule his style.

(http://ht.ly/1IMZH)

Yes, that is correct. Silverstein is ridiculing someone else’s style.

(http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2009/11/13/shimon-the-moral-pygmy-calls-goldstone-small-man/)

Shimon, Moral Pygmy Calls Goldstone ‘Small’ Man

Anti-Israel nincompoop and self-proclaimed morality expert Richard Silverstein in March 2008:

(http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2008/03/10/merkaz-harav-students-denounce-minister-as-murderer/comment-page-1/#comment-83533)

You must’ve been blown in by a foul wind fr. my good “friend” Aussie Dave, the liar & moral pygmy who writes Israellycool & makes feeble attempts to ridicule my views.

Meanwhile, Silverstein’s Twitter profile picture has inspired me: Tickle Me Dodo?

Consequently, I’m politely suggesting that if any of you think Israellycool is worthy of nomination in any of the categories, please nominate it.

I’m eligible for a number of categories, including but not excluded to Best Middle East or Africa Blog and Best Very Large Blog. But I suggest you look at the categories and decide for which my blog is worthy of nomination (if you do decide to nominate the blog, please nominate it only for the categories you truly believe it is worthy, and don’t “dump” nomination links in each and every category like some other bloggers are prone to request from their readers).

Last year, I placed a respectable third for Best Middle East or Africa Blog, behind the accomplished  Michael Totten and anti-Israel cretin-blogger Juan Cole. In fact, I was actually leading for a good number of days, and ended up with over 14% of the overall votes. But most importantly, my readership increased after the awards, which was my main objective.

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2009/11/04/house-denounces-goldstone-baird-courageously-dissents/comment-page-1/#comment-115776

You’re right. There’s a website set up by Maize with almost the same name, http://www.ungoldstonereport.com/ which I confused w. the other website.

Why would you waste yr time creating a site dedicated to “fisking” the Goldstone Report? Don’t you have anything better to do w yr time? But now that I think of it one of yr partners is the notorious Aussie Dave & he REALLY doesn’t have anything better to do w. his time. So I take that question back.

BTW, who paid for that snappy graphic design for yr site? The foreign ministry perhaps?

Glass house. Stone.

Introducing Silverstein’s public LinkedIn profile:

[click images to enlarge]

In other words, it is Silverstein who REALLY doesn’t have anything better to do with his time.

After begging for money to send him to a conference..

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2009/10/05/j-street-national-conference/

I want to urge you to attend, if possible, J Street’s national conference, Driving Change, Securing Peace, from October 26-28th in Washington, DC.  Jerry Haber of the Magnes Zionist and I will be hosting a panel of bloggers who write about the Israeli-Arab conflict.  They will include Phil Weiss, Kung Fu Jew, Max Blumenthal, Helena Cobban and Ray Hanania.  We’re also working on a live video feed from Israel that will enable us bloggers there to participate.  If anyone knows of any West Bank or Gaza bloggers whom we can include let me know (they would need a webcam and Skype, or something similar, setup).

—-

I expect that it will cost $1,000 for my travel and lodging expenses during the conference.  I would like to ask you, generous readers, to step up and help me defray my costs of organizing and attending this important panel.  Please make as much of a contribution as you can afford in order to make our progressive voices heard at J Street and beyond.

..he takes a commenter to task (for G-d knows what)

But do come to the panel & if you have the temerity to say a word or introduce yrself I’ll make a pt. of telling the audience what a schnorrer you are.

schnor⋅rer

–noun Slang.

a person who habitually borrows or lives at the expense of others with no intention of repaying; sponger; moocher; beggar.