Interview with Alon Roth-Snir

Alon Roth-Snir, the Deputy Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom, debated with staff and students of the University of York on Thursday 28th February.  The ambassador spoke about a vast array of Israeli issues including the conscription of Orthodox Jews, the threat of Iran, the resolution of the conflict with Palestine, the role of East African Jews in Israeli society, and Israel’s relationship with the United Nations. York Vision caught up with Mr Roth-Snir after the event for more questions.

I began by asking Mr Roth-Snir about his definition of free speech and his thoughts on why so many people protest when he speaks at British universities. Mr Roth-Snir was recently forced to flee from Essex University campus after group led by the University’s Palestine Solidarity Group managed to force the abandonment of his lecture after gaining access to the auditorium.

“I have visited many British universities – Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and, of course, England – and in most places there were no demonstrations and there was a very good discussion. Like today, we had a very good discussion…. Unfortunately, a very small group of around 20 people out of a large crowd were not ready to listen and were there to disrupt. They were just saying you have no right to put your views forward and we will not let you speak. This is quite rare, I must say. I have found that even  people who do not agree with Israeli policies, who don’t agree with the things I am going to say, are ready to let me express my own views and this is the meaning of freedom of expression. You do not have to agree with me in order to at least listen. Or, if you don’t want to listen, to walk out and let other people in the room listen to what I have to say. I was very proud today that most of the people here were sitting, asking very tough questions and honouring my right to express myself.”

The conversation then moved on to George Galloway’s decision to leave a debate at Oxford University upon discovering his opponent was Israeli.

“I think what George Galloway did was horrible. I think it reminds us of things from the past in which people said I don’t even listen to you. The fact that you are an Israeli means that I am not going to sit with you and I‘ll walk out. This is something that is horrible. If you don’t want to discuss with someone then go and sit in the crowd but the fact that you say I am not willing to even be in the same room as an Israeli is horrible. There are very tough words that I can attach to it but I don’t want to, I don’t want Mr Galloway to be honour by even speaking about him. This is horrible.”

We then discussed anti-Semitism in contemporary Europe.

“I think that it is very difficult to measure whether anti-Semitism is on the rise across Europe but I think that there are some events that can easily be described as anti-Semitic. We see them more and more. Whether that means a big rise in the number of anti-Semitic incidents, I don’t know because I didn’t count them. Nonetheless, one is too many. When you have people demonstrating in a group like what happened with Tottenham in Lyon etc. This is a bad sign as people are going as a mob with this notion of anti-Semitism and this frightens me. This reminds me of the past.”

I interrupted to ask if Mr Roth-Snir feels a responsibility to those who experience anti-Semitic attacks but are not Jewish.

“Of course. I am an Israeli but I am Jewish at the same time. I am a son of a Holocaust survivor. My family came after World War II so I know what happened in Europe before that. I am not saying what is happening nowadays is the same, Britain is not Germany, but every incident of anti-Semitism should be dealt with quickly and toughly.”