Major UK donor to Israel denounces 'apartheid' legislation

One of the UK’s “largest donors to Israeli charities”, Dame Vivien Duffield, has likened the new “Jewish nation state” legislation to South African apartheid, in an interview with Haaretz.

Over the decades, Dame Vivien’s foundations have donated several hundred million pounds to Israeli charities and infrastructure projects, as well as Jewish and non-Jewish British institutions.

“Every step Mr. Netanyahu takes is a catastrophe, and it is very difficult to defend Israel right now, to represent it in England,” she told the paper.

“Do I like Israel at the moment? No, I hate Israel. I think it’s a strong word, but I disapprove of everything. The vote in parliament [for the nation-state law] was appalling, absolutely terrible.”She continued:

It’s apartheid! You see, for the English, who remember South Africa, this is South Africa! This is one rule for one group and another rule for the other.

Dame Vivien also sounded a pessimistic long-term note: “I think Israel will not survive in the end, not the Israel I knew, I honestly do not think that in 50 years Israel will exist as Israel, look at demography, how many Arabs will be there be in another 50 years’ time?”

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