T. Belman. I disagree with the Campaign Against Antisemitism who called the remarks “deplorable”. Everything Farage said here is true but there is nothing wrong in acknowledging that we punch above our weight. But he was wrong to respond to the caller who thought “the pro-Israel lobby in the United States was as dangerous as alleged Russian interference” by saying that was a reasonable point. Its not dangerous at all. In fact there is no comparison. The Israel Lobby, such as it is, consists of Americans whereas Russian interference is foreign. But the truth of the matter is that the Israel Lobby is not near as strong as it is alleged to be, not that it matters. The Saudi Lobby is far more powerful, and richer and foreign. It is financed by the Saudis who are far richer than the Jews. Israel does not finance the Israel Lobby. The problem is that antisemites have smeared the Israel Lobby. An American lobby is entitled to be as effective as it can be within the law. Everyone ignores the Saudi Lobby.
Right-wing ex-pol in Britain responds to anti-Semitic questioner by saying Jews have disproportionate power relative to their numbers.
JTA
The former leader of a nationalist political party in Britain said that American Jews have a disproportionate influence over politics.
Nigel Farage, the ex-head of the Independence Party and now a talk show host on the LBC radio station, made the remarks Monday on while discussing whether Russian influence had aided Trump’s election in the wake of the first charges being brought against Trump administration officials.
A caller named Ahmed told Farage that he thought the pro-Israel lobby in the United States was as dangerous as alleged Russian interference, leading Farage to respond: “Well, the Israeli lobby, you know, that’s a reasonable point, Ahmed, because there are about 6 million Jewish people living in America, so as a percentage it’s quite small, but in terms of influence it’s quite big.”
He added: “Well, in terms of money and influence, yep, they are a very powerful lobby,” and “there are other very powerful foreign lobbies in the United States of America, and the Jewish lobby, with its links with the Israeli government, is one of those strong voices.”
Several listeners contacted the watchdog group Campaign Against Antisemitism following Farage’s remarks. In a statement on its website, the group called on Farage to “immediately withdraw his deplorable comments” and to apologize for them, or that LBC should remove him from his time slot. The group said it would ask Britain’s communications regulatory office, known as Ofcom, to open an investigation.
Farage, who was a key supporter of Brexit, the British exit from the European Union, resigned as head of the Independence Party in July 2016. The same month he visited the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where he met with Trump aides. He is reported to have close ties to former White House strategist Stephen Bannon.
It’s no surprize to me, that an “anti-semitic caller” named “Achmed” should be saying incendiary things against Israel. I didn’t bother to zoom in on the video, but did bookmark Nigel Farage’s Tritter site at
https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage
I try to bookmark a wide variety of sites; and I have been interested in the past, in things Farage has to say. On a cursory examination of the latest postings, I don’t notice any “anti-semitic” headings or remarks:
Farage seems almost entirely consumed with following the events concerning the upcoming “Brexit” of the UK from the EU. This might be a subject of interest of some well-heeled interest groups, like George Soros’s anti-Brexit legions; but it will have limited impact on Jews and Israel, whichever way it turns out.
If one wants my opinion of Brexit, which is far more characteristic of Farage than his attitudes for or against Jews, it is this: I accept Brexit as a fact, as an expression of the will of the British people. What’s more, I can understand their wanting to separate from the EU.
The problem with the EU, and with the other “Free Trade Agreements” and other multinational agreements that have been proliferating in recent decades, is that the are thoroughly un-democratic. They are not formulated by elected representatives, but by extremely powerful multinational corporations who have no national affinity. Once approved, on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis, these agreements are extremely difficult to get out from under.
Besides being un-democratic, the EU and similar bunds are actually ANTI-free trade; in that they are “free” only in the sense of lessening restrictions on favored multinationals. Other true capitalists who want to play the game, as well as most workers, are discriminated against.
I would wager that Achmed, and Farage’s other detractors and underminers, are in the pay of wealthy players such as Soros, who want to undermine Brexit.
Disappointing and stupid comment.
By the same talking, too many Jews win Noble prizes!
Voters have more power with politicos than those that just talk,
Fact is Jews vote in a higher percentage than non-voting Muslims. Ergo their voice carries more weight. Foolish Farage would be better served if he read more, talked less.