New Statesman's 'Jihad Jews'
Jewish youth groups defended themselves against comparisons with Muslim fundamentalists this week, after an article on the New Stateman website equated IDF summer schemes that they promote with terrorism training camps.
The online feature, entitled The British children who train to fight in Israel, drew parallels between Jewish students who take part in gap year programmes, such as Marva and Gadna, with jihad training in Pakistan.
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The comparison drew heavy criticism from Jewish youth organisations. Michael Freeman, Director of FZY in Israel – a group described in the article as “one of the largest and most hard-line organisers” – said: “FZY is rightly proud of our year programme, the work that it does to foster understanding and our aim to see peace in the region.
“Holehouse attempts to make the spurious connection between terrorist training and a programme that aims to allow youth from abroad to understand the Israeli army’s role in society and meet their Israeli peers.”
Jonny Lipczer, Coordinator of Bnei Akiva’s Israel gap year programmes, including Marva, told TJ: “It totally misinterprets the point of Marva. While other armies train young people to be suicide bombers, Marva promotes the value of life. Although they may learn how to fire a gun, every soldier on Marva hopes they will never actually need to use that skill.”
An article by Benjamin Rutland, Head of the IDF’s European and Pacific Desk, was subsequently put on the website, refuting the earlier piece. But the New Statesman refused to confirm if this was published in the wake of complaints.
New Statesman Editor John Kampfner told TJ: “The New Statesman sees its role as encouraging vigorous debate on all manner of difficult issues. As with online and offline stories that arouse controversy, we are keen to encourage rights of reply, which in this case we gave to the Israeli Defence Force.”
This is not the first time the New Statesman has clashed with the Jewish community. The magazine was forced to apologise in 2002 after the front page of one issue depicted a gold Star of David on top of a Union Jack, above the slogan ‘A Kosher Conspiracy?’
Henry Grunwald, President of the Board of Deputies, said: “This is yet another example of the New Statesman’s disturbing hostility to Israel.
“It besmirches the reputation of decent law abiding British teenagers.”
Read the latest copy of The Jewish News Online by clicking here.
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