British army officer: Criticism of Israeli Defence Force derives from anti-Semitism

Col Richard Kemp claimed that some international criticism of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) was derived from anti-Semitism.

Col Kemp was speaking at a dinner in London hosted by the Zionist Federation, a pro-Israel lobby group that was celebrating 110 years of its existence. The event was attended by over 400 British Jews as well as Israeli minister for Information and the Diaspora, Yuli Edelstein.

Col Kemp had defended the actions of the IDF at the UN Goldstone Hearings into the Gaza incursion of 2008.

Col Kemp, who is now retired from the British Army and makes a living from writing, said that in spite of the similarities between the IDF and British forces, UK soldiers did not have to face criticism to the same extent from the international community.

"When we go into battle we do not get the same knee-jerk, almost Pavlovian response from many, many elements of the international media and international groups, humanitarian groups and other international groups such as the United Nations which should know better... of utter automatic condemnation. We don't have to put up with that."