Airstrip One

Immigration and Israel

This article about anti-semitism in France is interesting in its own right, but that's not why I'm posting it.

What interests me is where the anti-Semitism is coming from. Its not so much the indigenous population, something that much of the bloggosphere seems to be keen on, but specifically concentrated among immigrants, particularly (but not exclusively) Muslims.

I will miss out the obvious point about the dead Dutchman saying the same things as the New Statesman, immigration policy is not what this web log is about.

What are the consequances for Western, particularly British, foreign policy with the increasing numbers of Muslims - both immigrants and British born. Now the Muslim population is not up for grabs electorally in the same way that the Hindus or Sikhs are. But it is more organised than the Carribean community, and does not identify with Labour in the same way as they do. In other words they could come up for grabs, and part of their price will almost certainly be more of a pro-Palestinian foreign policy.

Who would have foreseen that when the cotton mills were desperate to fill the night shift?