Kahane and JDL have always been right-wing "hooligans"
Redgrave's performance in Julia garnered an Academy Award for Best Supporting
Actress. However, members of the Jewish Defense League (JDL), led by Rabbi Meir
Kahane, burned effigies of Redgrave and picketed the awards ceremony in the
spring of 1978 to protest against both Redgrave and her support of the
Palestinian cause.
In her acceptance speech, Redgrave announced that neither she nor the Academy
would be intimidated by "a small bunch of Zionist hooligans - whose behavior is
an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world, and to their great and
heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression." Her statement was
greeted by both applause and boos from the audience.
Later in the broadcast veteran screenwriter and Oscar presenter Paddy Chayefsky
told the audience members that “there's a little matter I'd like to tidy up…at
least if I expect to live with myself tomorrow morning. I would like to say
that I'm sick and tired of people exploiting the Academy Awards for the
propagation of their own personal propaganda. I would like to suggest to Miss
Redgrave that her winning an Academy Award is not a pivotal moment in history,
does not require a proclamation and a simple ‘Thank you' would have sufficed.”
His remarks were greeted by applause from the audience.
In 1978 Rabbi Meir Kahane published a book entitled "Listen Vanessa, I am a
Zionist", which was later renamed "Listen World, Listen Jew" in direct responce
to Redgrave's comments at the Academy Awards. To this day many right-wing
Jewish groups, such as the JDL, consider Redgrave an opponent and a supporter
of terrorism, citing remarks she has made such as, "Zionism is a brutal, racist
ideology. And it is a brutal racist regime." The JDL itself, however, has been
described by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Congressional
testimony as a “violent” and “extremist” group. In a sidebar in its “Terrorism
2000/2001” report, the Bureau notes, “The Jewish Defense League has been deemed
a right-wing terrorist group.”
In June 2005 Redgrave was asked on Larry King Live: “Regardless of distinctions
about policy, do you support Israel's right to exist?” “Yes, I do,” Redgrave
replied.
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