Say Israeli, not 'Jew'

There is no doubt that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank is illegal and should be opposed.

But given the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the illegal invasion and continued occupation of Iraq by Britain and the US - to mention just two examples - I am left uneasy by how many people choose to put Israel at the top of their hate list.

Of course, it is wrong to think that all opponents of Israeli policy are anti-Semitic.

However, those members of the UCU who have chosen to elevate the Palestinian cause above all other cases of oppression need to be aware of how widespread and acceptable expressions of anti-Semitism were in British society until 1945, sometimes from the Left as well as the Right.

Therefore they need to be careful in their use of language.

Not all Israelis are Jews, and those who write "Jews" in contexts where "citizens of Israel" would be more appropriate should not be surprised if other people's suspicions are raised.

Alan Slomson
Leeds