Learn about the history of the Palestinian struggle for freedom, equality and justice by exploring major events in the history of their oppression on this day of the year.
26 June
JNF LOSES KEY PATRONS
26 JUNE On this day in 2011, Jewish National Fund UK Chair, Samuel Hayek, lamented that UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s resignation as an Honorary Patron was “disappointing [given] the obvious pressure he came under to do so from anti-Israel activists.” Cameron is a Zionist but rising opposition and the naked racism of the JNF may have led him to avoid a possible scandal. Labour and LibDem leaders declined the invitation to become Honorary Patrons, a novel development when all three party leaders had traditionally assumed that position.
مؤسسة الصندوق القومي اليهودي العنصرية تفقد الرؤساء الفخريين
26يونيو
The Jerusalem Post report was headlined: Cameron resigned due to anti-Israel pressure
The chairman of the Jewish National Fund in the UK has accused Prime Minister David Cameron of capitulating to pressure from anti-Israel activists as the real motivation behind his resignation as patron of the Jewish charity.
Samuel Hayek, chairman of JNF UK: “Mr. Cameron’s decision is a clear, politically motivated attack on Israel and this is a worrying development.” Cameron's decision to resign was “disappointing,” particularly given “the obvious pressure he came under to do so from anti-Israel activists...It is a shame that Mr. Cameron does not want to be associated to one of the world’s oldest Zionist organizations...
The JNF head pointed out that previous British prime ministers have come under similar pressure but did not behave like Cameron. “It is not just past prime ministers such as Tony Blair and Cameron who have been – and remain – honorary patrons of JNF. It is also opposition party leaders.”
(NB both opposition party leaders, Ed Miliband for Labour and Nick Clegg for the Lib Dems, declined the invite to become Honorary JNF Patrons - JNF UK went from three to zero)
The Jewish Chronicle did not accept Cameron's public explanation:
Downing Street has changed its explanation for David Cameron's resignation as honorary patron of JNF. Mr Cameron is now the first British prime minister not to be patron of the charity in the 110 years of its existence. His office initially said that a review of all his links with charities had been made when the coalition was formed in May last year, and a number were dropped due to "time constraints" - as reported in the JC last week. But this week a spokesman confirmed that the reason was JNF's links to Israel.
"We had to think about what organisations the prime minister could have an official involvement with. One of the issues was having an organisation that was specifically focused around work in one specific country. We spoke to JNF to say this had nothing to do with a policy issue and was based around the fact he is now prime minister rather than leader of the opposition".
The spokesman said a "handful" of other organisations were also dropped, including one other with links to a specific country. But Downing Street has refused to name any of the others affected".
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown remain patrons of JNF. But the former JNF president, Gail Seal, said:
I'm extremely concerned this has happened now. It is very damaging, not just for JNF but for the community. It undermines the work we are trying to do for Israel. It's broken a chain since 1901 where we have always had a British prime minister as a patron. It's very sad and I'm very upset about it...
Harvey Rose, chairman of the Zionist Federation, said the decision sent a "terrible message" to Israel supporters in the UK."
7-minute video: JNF complicity challenged
https://youtu.be/y_Y5AkPPrJU?list=PLruYUx36wmss9Cuo5Ls70VcOEQnAuglQ3