UK: Pro-Israel ‘lone warrior’ stares down weekly anti-Israel protests in London

The same can be said for France, Belgium and other European countries. The Israel-bashing militants throughout Europe are extremely well organised and committed. They are powerful and there are lots of them whose hatred for Israel knows no bounds.  One hardly hears from the groups ("organized Jewish communities") which are committed to the defense of Israel. 

The Times of Israel reports:

A familiar figure at anti-Israel demonstrations, with his gigantic bushy red beard and white crocheted deep skullcap, he could well be — at first sight — a white Englishman who has converted to Islam. 

But Joseph Cohen, 32, is in fact a lone warrior, putting the case for Israel while standing in a sea of dissent. Intriguingly, Cohen says he draws much inspiration for his methods from young Muslim activists. 

Cohen was a founder of the grassroots Campaign Against Antisemitism last year, but has recently decided that “anti-Semitism wasn’t the problem — anti-Israel/Zionism is.” He left the CAA and launched his own campaign, the Israel Advocacy Movement.  [...]

After his move to London, Cohen says he was “disappointed at the hostility between Jews and Muslim communities, in north-west London in particular.”  [...]

“I got very positive feedback. I was in touch with lots of Muslims and I began to go to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and I was shocked at the level of anti-Semitism,” Cohen told the Times of Israel.

“Now, as a Jew I feel generally very comfortable in Britain. It is generally a very tolerant country. But I felt there was a massive failure on the part of the organized Jewish community when it came to dealing with these demonstrations. We have failed to explain our case to the general public,” he says.

By signing up to the social media and newsletters of every pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist group in the country, Cohen has kept himself apprised of their level of activity and reckons that he now attends a demo or an anti-Israel event every week. Often, he is the only pro-Israel voice there.

“Almost every time there is no presence from the pro-Israel UK organizations. I ask lots of people to go with me and they all say no,” says Cohen.  More.