Statement on parliamentary report on antisemitism
A statement from the Jewish Socialist Group on the parliamentary report on anti-semitism
The Jewish Socialists’ Group (JSG) condemns the Home Affairs Select Committee’s report on Antisemitism as a shoddy piece of politically motivated work. It has contorted the serious issue of antisemitism and turned it into an instrument to attack Jeremy Corbyn and the Party members who elected him, and attempted to link it mainly to the Israel/Palestine conflict. In doing so it has failed to address the domestic reasons why attitudes to a range of minorities, including Jews, have become more toxic.
Group spokesperson, David Rosenberg, said, “In the last five years, under the watch of a Tory government and, before that, a Tory/Lib-Dem coalition, antisemitism has increased; hate crime against a range of minorities has increased; support for a mainstream anti-immigrant party, UKIP, has increased; and far right ideologues beyond the mainstream are feeling emboldened to spread poisonous antisemitic and other racist ideas.”
Just in the last year and a half, the group points out, the Tories ran an openly racist campaign for the London Mayor, which stoked up irrational fear against Muslims; the former Tory Prime Minister referred to refugees as a “swarm”; and, on Holocaust Memorial Day 2016, berated Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, for supporting “a bunch of migrants”. Hate crimes against all minorities increased dramatically after the Brexit vote. In a toxic racist atmosphere, a Polish migrant has been murdered and others have endured severe assaults. While Labour voters overwhelmingly supported the Remain campaign, Tory voters in similarly high proportions voted for Brexit.
The Select Committee is dominated by Tory MPs along with Labour MPs who voted to try to oust Jeremy Corbyn earlier this year. The evidence it took relies heavily on the views expressed by the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Jonathan Arkush, and the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, both of whom have been silent on the Tories’ complicity in fostering a climate of racism, while making hostile statements about Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. At the same time, both have sought to link the rise in antisemitism to pro-Palestinian campaigning.
JSG spokesperson Julia Bard says, “Those who never utter a word of criticism of the policies of the Israeli government or military towards Palestinians, who cannot distinguish opposition to a political ideology – Zionism – from antisemitism, and who failed to condemn, let alone notice, the Tories’ brazenly racist campaign in the London Mayoral elections, cannot be regarded as serious commentators about antisemitism and how it fits into contemporary racism. The clear agenda of the committee members, and the biased and inadequate evidence it sought, discredits the Select Committee system, whose role is to scrutinise parliament on our behalf, and actually leaves us all more vulnerable and less able to address real antisemitism.”
The Home Affairs Committee Report heavily criticises the report by Shami Chakrabarti on antisemitism and the Labour Party, yet the Chakrabarti report was based on evidence from a wide range of organisations representing the entire Jewish community. One glaring omission in the Home Affairs Committee’s investigation was the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community, who are most visible as Jews and endure frequent abuse and assaults. None of them were called as witnesses.
The ultra-orthodox Jews are being attacked because of how they look, in a similar way to racist thugs trying to pull hijabs off Muslim women. This has nothing to do with the Israel/Palestine conflict and everything to do with home-grown racism. However, that doesn’t fit the narrative that the Board of Deputies and the Chief Rabbi want to convey about antisemitism in Britain today, which seems more concerned with undermining Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, and stifling free discussion of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Despite the constant media headlines trying to link antisemitism with Corbyn-led Labour over the last 12 months, the Committee’s report is forced to acknowledge that there is “no reliable empirical evidence to suggest there is a higher prevalence of antisemitic attitudes within the Labour Party than in any other party”.
The report condemns Jeremy Corbyn for his reluctance to separate antisemitism from other forms of racism. The Jewish Socialists’ Group believes that Jeremy Corbyn is right to link hostility to Jews with racism against other minorities. Its spokesperson David Rosenberg says: “There is no separate solution for the problems that Jews face in Britain today. A society that regards Jews positively and treats them properly will be a society that treats all minorities properly.”
17 October 2016
10 comments
10 responses to “Statement on parliamentary report on antisemitism”
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Well said The Jewish Socialist Group! Does the parliamentary group which published not realise they are diverting attention away from the real problem and any possible solution. Shame on them!
Excellent analysis. The facts and figures you have access to confirm my own subjective judgment.
Sad that a racist ideology is using unfounded allegations of racism to support its cause.
Very pleased to read this reasoned statement on the report into anti-semitism by the Home Affairs Select Committee.
I have not been subjected to anti-semitism or racism. But as an ordinary Labour Party member, I’ve been distressed over recent months to be described, only because I am a supporter of Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as somehow supporting hate speech trolls and those who direct their venom, either by their actions or words, at Jews and Jewish Labour MPs in particular.
Your comments have made it possible for all who are disgusted by anti-semitism but who are critical of Zionist ideology feel they can at least legitimately express such views publicly.
Also encouraging to read that the view of the JSG is that the best way to ensure Jews are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve is to insist that all minority groups in our society should be treated properly.
As a recent ‘re joiner’ to the Labour party I feel as though I have been demonized as Anti Semitic, Anti Black and Anti Women. I am sure you are well aware that The Labour Party, which I have always supported, has been to the fore in confronting this type of anti social and racist behavior, so thank you very much for your support.
A really positive statement/critique of the parliamentary committee on anti semiticism and those who want to discredit anyone like Jeremy Corbyn who draws attention to injustices within the Israeli occupation of Palestine..we are NOT anti-semitic,we want a harmonious living together within the land of Palestine.
Excellent riposte to the media nonsense.
Perhaps you could let the Guardian – a once responsible organ – know your position?
I heard Rhea Thompson praise Corbyn on the BBC for his allegedly speedy response to anti-Semitism within Labour. In fact, Corbyn did what he habitually does when faced with a crisis – nothing, in the hope it will go away on its own. Eventually he was forced to act by outside pressure.
I fail to understand how anyone can regard Jeremy Corbyn as a leader.
The above article is an exercise in evasion and avoidance of inconvenient facts.
The main threat to Jews throughout the Western world is not from some vague, unidentified source but from the unholy alliance between radical Islam and the far left.
Don’t be fooled by political correctness.
Bryan Berman,
What evidence do you have of this alleged “unholy alliance” between Radical Islam and the far left?
What evidence do you have that Jeremy Corbyn did nothing when faced with claims of anti-semitism within the Labour Party?
What are the “inconvenient facts” that you claim were avoided by the Jewish Socislist Group in writing this article?
Dominic Trounce,
Here are a few points:
Far left George Galloway led a party to Gaza where he gave Islamic radical Ismael Haniya, leader of Hamas, a hug to show his friendship and support. Note that Hamas is regarded as an Islamic terrorist organisation by several nations.
Far left Ken Livingstone is known to have ties to Islamic radical individuals.
Jeremy Corbyn regards Hamas and hezbollah as his ‘friends’ and invited them to the UK. That would be bad enough but he doesn’t have the old-fashioned guts to stand by his friends, disowning them under pressure from Cameron during PMQ.
He did nothing at first re Naz Shah and her anti-Semitic comments, only spurred into action by pressure from Cameron. Note that she has now been quietly readmitted to Labour.
This is why I indicated that Corbyn is no leader. He is swayed by the prevailing political winds, for example he was staunchly against the EU until convinced by Labour members that he should be for it – after which he gave the Remain campaign luke-warm support.
I have many objections to the above article but no time to list them. I’ll just point out that the writer has remained totally mute about the growing threat of radical Islam to Jews throughout Europe and beyond as is demonstrated by Islamic terrorists singling Jews out for slaughter in India, France and elsewhere.
That alone demonstrates a tunnel vision peculiar to the left and makes the entire article suspect.
At last – I’ve asked so many times why does he Jewish community not speak out against these scurrilous accusations. Now we hear the voice of reason. With great relief I have to say well done and thankyou