Dame Maureen Lipman: “These bleeding heartless liberals care so deeply about the Palestinians… that they support their cause at the expense of all the other oppressed people of the world… »
Dame Maureen Lipman has criticized «heartless liberals» who do not criticize Hamas atrocities, while senior figures from the worlds of politics and entertainment pledged their solidarity with British Jews.
< p>More than 200 public figures have signed » October Declaration, condemning the terrorist attacks on Israel and the associated surge in anti-Semitism observed in the UK.
They called on the BBC and other broadcasters to characterize Hamas as terrorists rather than militants, and called on the police to do more to enforce the law against those who promote terror in this country.
It follows criticism of how the capital police dealt with protests in London on Saturday, where men shouting «jihad» were not arrested.
Last week, a group calling itself Artists for Palestine UK, which includes actors Steve Coogan and Tilda Swinton, published a letter accusing Israel of war crimes, but making no mention of the Hamas attacks.
Responding to this, Dame Morin said: “These bleeding heartless liberals care so much about the Palestinians… that they support their cause at the expense of all the other oppressed peoples of the world…
“Shame. Shame. Shame on each of you.»
Solidarity rally in London demanding the release of more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas. Photo: Jamie Lorriman
The actress signed the October Declaration, along with a host of figures including playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, lyricist Sir Tim Rice, former Foreign Secretary Lord Owen, broadcasters Vanessa Feltz and Rachel Riley, historians Tom Holland and Lord Roberts, and evolutionary scientist Richard Dawkins It said: “We are a group of concerned British citizens and residents from all walks of life and professions who stand in solidarity with British Jews and condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, whether in Britain or elsewhere. «.
“After the terrorist attack on Israel, anti-Semitism is on the rise in the UK… Children were not spared. Four Jewish schools in Britain have been forced to close. One school was vandalized. It is disgusting that British children now live in fear simply because they are Jewish. All children should be able to attend school without fear.
“British Jews should not live in fear because of actions taken by the State of Israel to protect themselves. The British state must do everything in its power to protect them.
“While we respect the right of all groups to engage in peaceful protest, we call on the police to enforce the law without fear or favor.” In a letter to Artists for Palestine, the UK accused Western governments of “compliciting” Israeli “ war crimes» in Gaza and said Palestinians faced «collective punishment on a grand scale.»
«Eyeballs gouged out»
Dame Morin, known for films including Educating Rita, as well as roles in Coronation Street and British Telecom TV adverts in the 1980s, called the authors «fanatical».
When babies strangled, women pulled by the hair, and family's eyeballs gouged out and fingers cut off in front of their children — do they really think that the Israeli blockade on the Gaza border is an excuse for such acts of violence?< /p>
“These fanatical signatories, they have neither soul nor common sense? These bleeding heartless liberals care so much about the Palestinians (who have rejected no less than five two-state proposals since 1937) that they support their cause at the expense of all the other oppressed peoples of the world.
“The Palestinians are not Hamas , I agree; they simply chose them. And 17 years later, Hamas has done nothing for the Palestinians except steal millions in aid while keeping them in poverty.»
She added: «I'd like the captioners to answer this question for me: If your beloved country was under attack for 70 years, with concrete tunnels under Birmingham, York and Ipswich, and missiles falling on Oxford University every day, Penny Lane and Tiny Tim's baby club… how angry, exhausted and how determined are you to defend your country against any future attacks?
“You artists are applying to work in a business that, above all, requires empathy. Yet you cannot look an inch beyond your own prejudice that the only good Jew is the homeless, the injured, the impoverished. Shame. Shame. Shame on each and every one of you.”
“I unequivocally condemn”
The October Declaration was also signed by the former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove; director of Labor Against Antisemitism, Emma Picken; actor Steven Berkoff, principal Katherine Birbalsingh; former ministers Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lord Pickles; feminist campaigner Julie Bindel; and comedy writer Graham Linehan.
It said: “We unequivocally condemn all terrorist attacks against civilians in Israel, especially the massacre that occurred on October 7, 2023.”
“October 7, 2023 The State of Israel and its citizens, both Jews and non-Jews were subjected to a brutal terrorist attack in which more than 1,500 people were killed, tortured, raped and kidnapped.
“More Jews were killed. on this day more than on any other day since the Holocaust.
“We recognize that Jews are not the only victims of this tragedy. Hamas knew there would be consequences on October 7, but the consequences did not affect Hamas.
“Its ongoing terrorist operation is designed to cause maximum fear and suffering. The people of Israel are subject to almost constant rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Civilians of all stripes, including the elderly, disabled, women, children and infants, were victims of direct violations of the rules of war.
“We share the shock and grief of Israelis, British Jews and compassionate people around the world at the unfolding horror and its consequences.
“We call for the immediate release of all hostages taken on October 7th. This is an important step towards peace and an end to hostilities.»
Criticism of the BBC
Criticizing broadcasters, the signatories said: «We ask the media, members of all political parties and everyone involved in public life to name Hamas is what it is: a terrorist organization.»
“Hamas, whose actions have directly or indirectly led to the tragic deaths of many Palestinian civilians as well as Israelis, is a proscribed terrorist organization in the UK as well as in many other countries. The Interior Minister and the Prime Minister called Hamas a terrorist organization.
«Failure to use correct language — for example, calling Hamas 'militants' or 'fighters' — creates the false impression that Hamas and the Israeli military are morally equivalent, and is an insult to the group's victims — those killed, their families, and those currently is being held hostage.
“No one thought this would be necessary in the 21st century, but unfortunately it is.”
The BBC News style guide says it word The word «terrorist» should not be used without attribution, and words such as terrorist, attacker, gunman, kidnapper, rebel and gunman should be used instead.
On Friday the BBC said it had not used it for several days the word «action». » as the default description for Hamas because «as the situation evolves, we find that description less accurate for our audience.»
Historian Tom Holland also signed on. He said: “While I feel completely unqualified to comment on the ongoing tragedy in Israel and Gaza, I, as a Briton, feel very strongly that my fellow Jewish citizens are currently not being allowed to feel valued and safe, and I am ashamed of that.” something that unites us all in the country.”
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