Why is it that no other country in the world is questioned about its ‘right to exist’? Only Israel. Which became a country in 1948 when the British mandate pulled out and left the natives to fight it out. It is a country. There is no question. No more than there should be about Italy or Bosnia or Zimbabwe. By every criterion of what makes a ‘country’, Israel is one. And it therefore has a right to be left in peace. But its not. It is bombed daily by neighbours who seek its destruction. The neighbours who gave the world ‘ the suicide vest’ as its contribution to civilisation, as well as its repeated ‘gift’ to its host nation.

Backed by the Qataris, Hamas has weapons and the ability to build tunnels into Israel for the sole purpose of death and chaos. Any country would in such circumstances defend itself. Protect its people from a very very real threat. Yet Israel is denied that by the world’s press, in most cases. They use the phrase ‘disproportionate response’. As if armies in a war (and by any definition this is a war) would attack in a manner that doesn’t give them some advantage? As if the D-Day landing was ‘disproportionate’ because they sent in hundreds of thousands of soldiers to attack just a few nazis.

I don’t necessarily agree with everything Israel does, but I do agree with why they do it. And the destruction of the tunnels is of paramount importance. No-one wants to injure innocent civilians. Except Hamas, who exist for little else. And Hamas, for years, have chosen to locate their weapons, their missile launchers and their arms in hospitals, schools and UN buildings. Cynically defying the Israelis to choose between leaving these instruments of death alone or face the wrath of the world’s indignation.

No nation in a war has ever sent warnings for people to leave before bombardment.

I’m not an Israeli. I’m British. Born in London. As were my parents and their parents. Cockney’s all, born within the sound of the Bow Bells. Which unfortunately stopped ringing before they could welcome me into the world.

Yet there are those, all across Europe who, whilst declaring themselves ‘not anti-semitic’, blur the line conveniently between Israel and Jews. The banners at last weekend’s pro-Palestine rally declared: “Free Palestine: Hitler was right”. Nice. Hitler died before Israel was born, though he undoubtedly had a bit of a thing about jews. Similarly, across France, Germany and even here in England, there has been a massive increase in anti-semitic attacks under the ‘leave Gaza alone’ banner. As if the destruction of a synagogue in Manchester could have any effect on events in the Middle East. As if all jews are somehow responsible for events in Gaza, even those who, unlike me, are passionately opposed to it.

Politicians like David Ward have done their bit for this end too. And assholes like Joey Barton. As if by the subtle blurring of the line between Israel and Jewish, it can be open season for anti-semites.

As I walked to tennis this morning, in the sunshine, in my lovely leafy suburb, with my fairly blessed life, for the first time ever, after reading today’s papers, I wondered if that was the sort of complacency that German jews felt in 1935 in their comfortable, affluent, settled, respected environment.

Its enough to make anyone paranoid. And sadly, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.

Happy Sunday

A xxxx