Woodside_park Synagogue

Colonel Kemp CBE visits Woodside Park (30th January 2011)

Colonel Richard Kemp CBE is a strong advocate of Israel, its army and intelligence with 30 years' experience with the British Army and a Commander in Afghanistan. He was attached to the Cabinet office 'Joint Intelligence Committee'. Since retiring from the army he has been a bestselling author. In October 2009 he testified to the United Nations disputing allegations that Israel engaged in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza War and defended the Israel Defence Force saying "The IDF did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare."

The following report from the talk has been written by Andrea Passe


On Monday evening the Wiseman Linden Hall was full to capacity to listen to Colonel Kemp of the British Armed Forces (now recently retired) who has in depth knowledge of the conflict in the Middle East, and of course, Afganistan, where he served.

Kemp's pro Israeli stance was evident from the outset. After criticism of the Goldstone report, he gave detailed explanations of the double standards that are being applied on a regular basis to incidents surrounding Israeli "aggression" and "blatant disregard" for civilian life, and how these are being reported widely in the international media, and yet incidents where there is more civilian loss of life, by other countries, is hardly reported at all. It was heart warming to hear a non Israeli, non Jew, defend Israel, when daily we are bombarded with press reports which are difficult to counter, or even to listen to.

Kemp believes that Israel faces attack on three fronts.

  1. Nuclear, with Iran being the obvious aggressor.He does however feel that Israel would never let Iran get to the point where a nuclear attack would be imminent. By whatever means.

  2. 2) Suicide Terrorism.

  3. 3) De-legitimisation of Israel within the world press. This, Kemp believes, is possibly Israel's most difficult threat to mobilise against. It has emerged slowly yet steadily to the point where the majority of the civilian world, if asked, would agree with the general press biases of Israel's "war crime" type aggression to its non Israeli citizens. Israel's detractors seem much more mobilised in controlling, and steering worldwide opinion against Israel, and, this is now gathering a momentum of its own.

For me, the most interesting element of the evening, was what prompted Kemp to investigate, research and subsequently advocate and talk out for Israel in such a vocal and positive way.

He said that he had always held the Israeli military in terms of their equipment, training and professionalism in high regard. However, in 2003 when he was appointed Commander of the British Forces in Afganistan, he realised that for the first time he would be facing an enemy he had little experience of - the suicide bomber - and there were no training manuals as to how the British Army could effectively combat this threat. He called on the Head of Mossad in London to ask for help. Help was flown over by the Israelis within days, and the current Israeli expert in counter terrorism met Kemp, and from this meeting he devised a doctrine for combating suicide attack, which did not previously exist in the British forces. He believes that the help he received from Israel in this regard, undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives. That doctrine was subsequently taken into general use in the armed forces.

In 2005 when attached to COBRA during the 7/7 London bombings, He received offers of help within 10 minutes of the first bomb from the Mossad station in London, offerring unlimited help in whatever capacity he needed. Other countries (bar the USA) were conspicuously absent in their offers of help.

It was from these acts of Chesed that Kemp chose to look deeper into the claims of Israeli aggression, and from this his findings astounded him as to the way that Israel was being portrayed. He decided that it was important for him to speak out as to what he knew to be the truth amongst the sea of spin.

Kemp, a Roman Catholic, also gave us examples of Jewish contributions to the British war effort over the years, serving this country in an inspirational way, showing great leadership and courage, notably Lieutenant Paul Mervis, killed in Afganistan in 2009.

The talk and questions were lively, and notwithstanding its serious nature, had moments of humour, sometimes directed at our very own padre (sorry, Rabbi!) who ended the evening by telling Richard Kemp that the Jewish people were honoured and grateful to call him a friend. At this, the evening ended with a spontaneous display of respect in the form of a standing ovation.