There was a symbolic vote by the U.K. Parliament to recognize the fictional state of Palestine. Fewer than half the MPs were present, and most of Israel’s supporters were missing. It was also a completely contradictory vote:
I want a two state solution as much as the next person, but I’m not quite sure what this motion will achieve other than offering false hope to the Palestinian people. For a start, it is non-binding on the government and is unlikely to have any effect on UK foreign policy towards Israel in the short term. No clear timetable for recognition was actually set. Furthermore, an amendment emphasised that recognition must come “as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution”; this is despite the motion imposing the kind of unilateralism and preconditions that were excluded from the Oslo peace process and the road map discussions.
In other words, it was pure theater. Unfortunately, it was theater with a purpose. The anti-Israel side can score this as a huge victory, because most people will have no idea that it was a non-binding vote by a minority the voting members of Parliament. And now France is making rumbles about having their own vote. Mahmoud Abbas is doing a celebratory dance today, I’m sure.
The vote in the U.K. came on the heels of one of the worst spikes in anti-Semitic attacks in history. And oh, yeah–it’s not just because of the Gaza War. It has continued unabated since the war ended. And during the vote, one of the MP’s raised the tired old “Jewish Lobby controls America” trope.
Gee. I wonder if there’s some kind of connection between the drum of constant anti-Israel messages and attacks on Jews. Hm. Let’s think about that.
Meanwhile, my advice to British Jews? GTFO. Come to America, come to Israel. Leave the British Isles, just like my great-grandfather did. The merging of the anti-Semitic far left and far right has begun. Things are going to get much worse there.