Dante's Purgatory at Stansted Airport

Dante’s Purgatory at Stansted Airport

One of the illustrations that Botticelli made for Dante’s Divine Comedy (recently on show at the Courtauld Gallery) is of a cowed gaggle of naked souls arriving on the shores Purgatory. Why do I recall this drawing fresh (or rather stale) from a journey through Stansted Airport?

The image is apt for the scene in the airport’s vast new security shed.

The Venn diagram between criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism

The Venn diagram of Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism

Prompted by recent public controversies, I’ve been trying to puzzle it out. Why does criticism of “Israel” either equate or not equate (assertion dependant on stance of asserter) to anti-Semitism? Many eloquent Jewish writers have focussed on the question in the past few weeks, and influenced my understanding. I still feel it’s worthwhile working it through – so here goes.