Well really! what do Israelis know about Israel?

The UK's Zionist Federation has cancelled "by mutual agreement" an invitation to Danny Rubenstein to attend its little shindig on the 60th anniversary of the occupation of Palestine by zionist forces. Here's the Jerusalem Post:

Haaretz columnist Danny Rubinstein's participation in this weekend's Zionist Federation (ZF) conference in London has been cancelled by mutual agreement.

On Thursday evening, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Rubinstein, who also teaches at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, told a UN conference in Brussels: "Today Israel is an apartheid state with different status for different communities." In a meeting on Friday with ZF officials, Rubinstein confirmed he made the statement.

The ZF regularly holds meetings where a wide variety of views are expressed, and while there is no question that Rubinstein has every right to express his views about Israel, it was mutually agreed that his participation in the Zionist Federation conference became untenable

ZF Chairman Andrew Balcombe said, "Criticism of Israeli policy is acceptable. However, by using the word 'apartheid' in a UN conference held at the European Parliament, Danny Rubinstein encourages the demonization of Israel and the Jewish people. I believe he was naïve to attend the UN conference. Indeed, his own newspaper had earlier reported that Israeli and EU lawmakers had attacked the UN meeting for having a completely one-sided, anti-Israeli agenda."

I should have thought that the issue was whether or not "apartheid" is a fair or accurate description of Israel or of the occupation but of course the ZF exists to promote and to cover for the apartheid system that is the State of Israel.