Was Simon Schama’s History of the Jews censored?
Was the fifth episode of Simon Sharma’s wonderful series ‘History of the Jews’ censored? asks Nomi Benari.
While so much of it was fair and balanced, the numerous small omissions went a long way towards consolidating the views of those who deny Israel’s right to exist. For example:
1. The Balfour Declaration was a result not only of Weizmann’s invention, but because Churchill and others saw that only the Jews were making the land habitable – ‘making the desert bloom.’
2. The Balfour Declaration was endorsed unanimously by the international community (the League of Nations), which recognised ‘the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine and to the grounds for reconstructing their national home’.
3. While Palestine was promised to the Jews, other parts of the Arab world were promised to other Arabs, and many states were established as a result.
4. 78% of the British Mandate was allotted to Transjordan (later Jordan). When the remaining 22% was partitioned by the UN in 1947, the Jews received 11% of Palestine, 65% of which was desert.
5. The UN voted not only in favour of partition but for the creation of two states, one for the Jews and one for the Arabs of Palestine. Only the Jews accepted.
6. Sharma made no mention of the fact that, according to statements by the British Mandate and those of the Arabs themselves, many of the Arabs living in Palestine at the time were not indigenous.
7. After the Six Day War, Israel offered ‘Land for Peace’. Only when this was rejected by the Arab League did the ‘settler movement’ start.
8. Professor Sharma spent several minutes talking about the separation barrier, in front of the 5% which is concrete. The 95% which is made of wire fencing was barely seen, if at all.
9. No mention was made of the fact that, while 1.2 million Arabs live in Israel with equal rights, Mahmoud Abbas made it clear on 20/8/2013 that ‘In a final resolution, we would not see the presence of a single Israeli – civilian or soldier – on our land’.
While the four preceding programmes made an excellent case for the historical connection of the Jews to the land, in the fifth episode Professor Sharma failed to adequately make the legal and moral case for Israel’s existence. This is a pity, as it was a great series.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
