Boycott Jaffa Cakes, save Gaza?

Photo credits to Rusty Stewart

On Saturday 17th November, protests were held by Exeter University Students in the High Street against Israeli actions with the aim of raising awareness for the protection and support of Gaza. With these students openly planning a week full of activities to show this support for Gaza, a question is raised over whether this is an acceptable and respectable support for a country in which the people are repressed by their own government or are uneducated over reactions to events in the Middle East due to their prejudiced anti-Zionist stance.

Some examples of photos posted on the Exeter University’s Friends of Palestine’s Facebook page, show how some of the sign’s branded messages such as “boycott Israel”, “stop Israeli aggression” or “boycott Israeli goods” do not show support for Gaza but instead attack Israel. This is far from what can be seen as a peaceful protest with the aim of protecting human life and promoting peace in the area. The clear stupidity of the idea that boycotting Jaffa Cakes will make life in the Middle East peaceful, just goes to show that people on such demonstrations are uneducated about the matter of the causes and reasoning behind the recent defence attacks by the Israeli armed forces.

With President Obama’s comments earlier this week as well as Israel’s actions being supported by the UN and EU, it is clear to any rationally thinking person that maybe there is more to the story that the average Brit with their minds limited to the likes of Sky News the BBC or – the best yet – The Daily Mail, would ever be able to comprehend. With a number of rockets being launched from Gaza into Israel on a daily basis, there are only so many days of the year for which the other cheek can possibly be turned before it is necessary to remove this regular threat to Israeli citizens living normal lives.

The main issue Israel faces is that their military operations merely seek to destroy the missile launchers, which the highly considerate and caring Hamas have attached to schools, hospitals or similar premises. Therefore, every time that Israel takes out one of the missile launching pads it is made out by the media that Israel has targeted a school. However, what is never mentioned is that at the time there weren’t any children in the school. It is not in the interests of the British media to actually investigate a full story as it would be neither financially nor politically beneficial to them.

No one is saying that there should not be support for Gaza, but it should not be grounds for those with a vendetta for Israel to publicly attack a nation merely trying to defend itself from constant bombardments by a terrorist organisation –Hamas- whom have been receiving a large number of weapons from the likes of Iran and Libya.

The situation needs to be assessed especially when students from a University take time out to make suggestions as ridiculous as boycotting a country’s products to solve world problems. Then again all one needs to do is look around the university to not be surprised at the level of activism on this front. After much investigation of the library it is possible to find a section about Zionism but in comparison to the vast array of books in Arabic the only books referring to Hebrew are biblical sources. Likewise for a University which boasts a great amount of Societies there is an Arabic Society, a Muslim society and a Friends of Palestine society, whereas there is just one society related to Zionism which is the Jewish society, which is not relevant for those without religious views.

As a student at a University which is pushing to be the first Conflict Free University to show its support for ongoing conflict in the Congo, it is perhaps about time that it set an example on all fronts to ensure equality for all and not follow the biased line of the British media. People cannot call for Peace in the Middle East unless they are themselves an example of that which they wish to achieve – peace can never come from prejudice.

Anonymous

This is abuse

 

Photo credits to ImageMD

Looking at the BBC’s timeline of recent reviews, resignations and investigations, I find myself forgetting how all of this began in the first place.

When the reports of Jimmy Savile’s shocking crimes began to unfold, there was a mere handful of alleged victims of his sexual abuse. This number rapidly rose to dozens and we are now talking hundreds of possible victims- and this accounts only for those who have been able to speak out about their ordeal. However, given the focus of today’s media, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear if people didn’t know what events actually led up to the crisis that the BBC seems to be having.

Before I criticise a programme as longstanding as Panorama, I will admit that I admire the BBC’s apparent readiness to admit to its own errors, but as I watched the special on Jimmy Savile a few weeks ago, I was disappointed by what they had to offer.  The focus had shifted away from the victims entirely and onto the BBC and its downfalls, and how on earth it was going to regain the lost trust of its followers. But this was only the beginning of it. People are now talking about celebrity and gay “witch-hunts” and directors at the corporation seem to be dropping like flies over the scandals faster than the newest one can surface.

What about the victims? When the BBC interviewed people out on the streets, the public often referred to the scandal as “the whole Jimmy Savile thing”. This, in addition to widespread allegations against public figures has done victims of sexual assault no favours. I personally believe that if the media is not careful with this delicate subject, it could single-handedly ruin the credibility of any rape or sexual abuse victim, or indeed sentence them to silence.

Speaking to my grandmother and her friends recently, they talked about sexual abuse as if it were something new to this world. “In our day, that’s what a girl was for, we just pulled ourselves together and got on with it”, said one of them. I don’t doubt that this was the voice of an era full of taboos as another piped up and said “I didn’t know what a homosexual was until I was 35”.

People need to wake up and realise that we now live in an era where sexual assault is no longer a matter to be covered up. Regardless of generational gaps in opinion, sexual assault is a heinous crime and victims deserve a voice, support and solidarity.

There has been a distinct lack of support surrounding the issue, and news articles related to it rarely lead the reader to a support network, a crisis line or advice pages.

If you, or anyone you know has been affected by crimes of sexual assault, there is hope. There are a number of online resources (see below) that can help you to understand what has happened, how you can get support, and most importantly: you are not alone.

Just a few examples of the help that is available:

Project Unbreakable (video link); This is Abuse; Help after rape- NHS; Rape Crisis

Kate Townend