Ben White is a freelance writer, who has argued that Ahmadinejad did not deny the Holocaust, when Ahmadinejad claimed:
“They have created a myth today that they call the massacre of Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets.”
Ben White asserts that Ahmadinejad is correct to describe the Holocaust as a “myth“.
Ben White recommends the writings of Roger Garaudy on Zionism, on p.162 of White’s first book Israeli Apartheid: A Beginners’ Guide, in the ‘select bibliography’.
Roger Garaudy categorically states that gas chambers were not used to kill Jews. Garaudy thinks that the number of 6 million Jews killed is a “myth“.
When antisemites are arrested for trying to kill Jews in their synagogues in the USA, Ben White thinks their arrest is a “threat to our freedoms.”
Ben White also claims to “understand” antisemitism. He boasts:
I do not consider myself an anti-Semite, yet I can also understand why some are. There are, in fact, a number of reasons.
In addition to his ‘I’m-not-a-racist-but’ equation, Ben White then listed 3 main reasons for antisemitism, blaming Jews for 2 of them. Ben White himself acknowledges that, if you start to understand why some people are racist, you begin to justify racism, and then to accept it.
Ben White is a justifier of racism.
This justifier of racism, is now writing articles about why you should boycott the Israeli theatre company, Habima, because they have performed in West Bank settlements. Ben White claims in the New Statesman that there are:
“specific reasons for the Habima boycott call, namely that the company performs in illegal West Bank settlements – colonies that form a key part of Israel’s apartheid regime”.
Previously, Ben White wanted to force BT to boycott the Israeli phone company Bezeq, for connecting Israeli citizens with religious settlers in the West Bank. To justify this, Ben White linked to a Haaretz article about Bezeq, which also showed that the settlers could use Facebook, not just Bezeq. Then, Ben White did not call for a boycott of Facebook, just Bezeq.
BT commendably dismissed Ben White’s view on a boycott of Bezeq. The Globe Theatre will also dismiss Ben White’s view on a boycott of Habima.
Who is taking Ben White seriously?
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, of course, who have posted a link on Facebook, urging people to read Ben White on why boycotting Habima is the right step.
Here’s the irony:
Ben White is an individual who claims not to be an antisemites, but understands why some people are. Meanwhile, the PSC is an organisation which claims to oppose antisemitism, but is riddled with antisemites.
Habima performing The Merchant of Venice in London, in the Hebrew language, is an excellent idea. The boycotters ought not to derail this important event. The ideological justification for their campaign, comes from Ben White.
Ben is “somewhat startled” that Antonio should hate Shylock. Ben does not hate Shylock himself, but understands why Antonio does. There are, in fact, a number of reasons.
