Former prime minister Tony Blair has accused the left of forming an 'unholy alliance' with Islamists, a claim that Owen Jones, writing in the Guardian, dismisses as a 'desperate last ploy' to silence critics of Israel's actions in Gaza. Blair's article, published by the Free Press, a pro-Israel outlet, argues that opposition to Israel is a new form of antisemitism. Jones counters that Blair provides no evidence for this extraordinary accusation.
Jones points out that opposition to Israel's military campaign reflects mainstream British public opinion, with polls showing only 12% support for Israel's actions and overwhelming backing for an arms embargo. He notes that the Green Party, now the main force of the English left, is led by a Jewish gay man and champions progressive policies, making Blair's claim of an 'Islamist' alliance absurd.
Blair's own record is criticised, including his alliance with Saudi Arabia, a major exporter of religious extremism, and his support for Trump's 'Board of Peace' for Gaza, which Jones calls a 'grotesque, neocolonial fantasy'. Jones also highlights that prominent Israeli genocide scholars have concluded Israel's actions constitute genocide, contradicting Blair's dismissal of the charge.
