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| Labour may not be such a cold house for Jews | Labour may not be such a cold house for Jews |
| (6 months later) | |
| Some years ago, I asked the late, great Jewish actor Miriam Karlin, how, as a youthful Zionist, she had acknowledged the Palestinians. Her response was short: “I am ashamed to say, I never noticed them at all.” | Some years ago, I asked the late, great Jewish actor Miriam Karlin, how, as a youthful Zionist, she had acknowledged the Palestinians. Her response was short: “I am ashamed to say, I never noticed them at all.” |
| Perhaps what most threatens today’s Zionists is all those Jews who are at the forefront of campaigning for Palestinian rights. Tough to call us antisemites, so they say we are self-hating or desperate to win acceptance by the majority community (criticisms that, by their nature, are almost impossible to refute). Another option, chosen by Jonathan Freedland (Labour and the left have an antisemitism problem, 19 March), is to accuse critics of Israel of ignoring all other examples of international iniquity. | Perhaps what most threatens today’s Zionists is all those Jews who are at the forefront of campaigning for Palestinian rights. Tough to call us antisemites, so they say we are self-hating or desperate to win acceptance by the majority community (criticisms that, by their nature, are almost impossible to refute). Another option, chosen by Jonathan Freedland (Labour and the left have an antisemitism problem, 19 March), is to accuse critics of Israel of ignoring all other examples of international iniquity. |
| Here countervailing evidence is thicker on the ground. Thus, those at the founding meeting of Jews for Justice for Palestinians 14 years ago represented a roll call of international and domestic activism: Spanish fascism, the Greek colonels, South African apartheid, Vietnam, anticolonialism, Ireland, nuclear weapons, feminism, gay rights, trade unionism, health care, reproductive rights, homelessness… You name it, we were there. And many of us still are – along with new young Jewish critics of Israel’s occupation, who are simultaneously resurrecting Yiddish, supporting Syrian refugees and opposing the bedroom tax. | Here countervailing evidence is thicker on the ground. Thus, those at the founding meeting of Jews for Justice for Palestinians 14 years ago represented a roll call of international and domestic activism: Spanish fascism, the Greek colonels, South African apartheid, Vietnam, anticolonialism, Ireland, nuclear weapons, feminism, gay rights, trade unionism, health care, reproductive rights, homelessness… You name it, we were there. And many of us still are – along with new young Jewish critics of Israel’s occupation, who are simultaneously resurrecting Yiddish, supporting Syrian refugees and opposing the bedroom tax. |
| So, all those passionate campaigners for Israel-right-or-wrong, what else have you fought for since 1948? | So, all those passionate campaigners for Israel-right-or-wrong, what else have you fought for since 1948? |
| None of this negates the need to tackle antisemitism uncompromisingly – and if it is a problem among Labour students (Report, 18 February), it needs rooting out now. But it is a betrayal of every Jew in history who fought for human rights and against oppression, and every Jew ever persecuted for being a Jew, to sling allegations of antisemitism every time anyone tries to stand up for Palestinian rights.Naomi WayneLondon | None of this negates the need to tackle antisemitism uncompromisingly – and if it is a problem among Labour students (Report, 18 February), it needs rooting out now. But it is a betrayal of every Jew in history who fought for human rights and against oppression, and every Jew ever persecuted for being a Jew, to sling allegations of antisemitism every time anyone tries to stand up for Palestinian rights.Naomi WayneLondon |
| • A really interesting question could be asked about why people on the left tend to be more critical of Israel’s policies than those on the right. There is, after all, a Labour Friends of Palestine as well as a Labour Friends of Israel and a Conservative Friends of Israel – but no Conservative Friends of Palestine. Many Greens and Lib Dems also support Palestinian rights. And this is a pattern reflected across Europe. Is it that the left has a more internationalist position, is more critical of Britain’s colonial past and aware of neo-colonialism today? Or has a greater concern for social justice, more empathy, perhaps, with victims of oppression? It was certainly the left that led the struggle against apartheid while the establishment wholeheartedly supported the South African regime.Hilary Wise London | • A really interesting question could be asked about why people on the left tend to be more critical of Israel’s policies than those on the right. There is, after all, a Labour Friends of Palestine as well as a Labour Friends of Israel and a Conservative Friends of Israel – but no Conservative Friends of Palestine. Many Greens and Lib Dems also support Palestinian rights. And this is a pattern reflected across Europe. Is it that the left has a more internationalist position, is more critical of Britain’s colonial past and aware of neo-colonialism today? Or has a greater concern for social justice, more empathy, perhaps, with victims of oppression? It was certainly the left that led the struggle against apartheid while the establishment wholeheartedly supported the South African regime.Hilary Wise London |
| • I am a Jew who joined the Labour party after Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader. Before that I set up a “Jews for Jeremy” Facebook group, which attracted a large number of like-minded Jews. I have encountered no antisemitism in the Labour party. The isolated cases that were referred to in Jonathan Freedland’s article are actually insignificant in terms of the power these individuals have, and in the case of Gerry Downing (someone I know from my own CLP) more to do with stupidity than antisemitism. | • I am a Jew who joined the Labour party after Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader. Before that I set up a “Jews for Jeremy” Facebook group, which attracted a large number of like-minded Jews. I have encountered no antisemitism in the Labour party. The isolated cases that were referred to in Jonathan Freedland’s article are actually insignificant in terms of the power these individuals have, and in the case of Gerry Downing (someone I know from my own CLP) more to do with stupidity than antisemitism. |
| The worst antisemitism I have seen in recent years in connection with the Labour party was that perpetrated by some newspapers during last year’s election campaign, when Ed Miliband’s Jewishness was conflated with classic stereotypes to present him as other and alien. I saw little protest about that at the time from people who now protest at these isolated, trivial examples.Dr Ian SavilleLondon | The worst antisemitism I have seen in recent years in connection with the Labour party was that perpetrated by some newspapers during last year’s election campaign, when Ed Miliband’s Jewishness was conflated with classic stereotypes to present him as other and alien. I saw little protest about that at the time from people who now protest at these isolated, trivial examples.Dr Ian SavilleLondon |
| • Jonathan Freedland is right to raise the alarm about Labour and antisemitism. He is also right to say that not all criticism of the state of Israel is necessarily antisemitic, and that some criticism is. But his concern that many Jewish people identify with Israel is irrelevant. My family has lived in Canada for hundreds of years and I strongly identify with my country, but I also tolerate and encourage criticism of our treatment of First Nations and the Japanese during the second world war, among other atrocities that have been committed in my name.Deborah CookToronto, Canada | • Jonathan Freedland is right to raise the alarm about Labour and antisemitism. He is also right to say that not all criticism of the state of Israel is necessarily antisemitic, and that some criticism is. But his concern that many Jewish people identify with Israel is irrelevant. My family has lived in Canada for hundreds of years and I strongly identify with my country, but I also tolerate and encourage criticism of our treatment of First Nations and the Japanese during the second world war, among other atrocities that have been committed in my name.Deborah CookToronto, Canada |
| • As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor I never stop worrying about how we can make “never again!” meaningful. But as an active member of both the Labour party and my Jewish community, I can say that the assertion that “Labour has become a cold house for the Jews” is simply not borne out by the facts. The party has become a much warmer place for everyone, including Jews, since Jeremy Corbyn was elected. However, some people, inside and outside the party, appear to use allegations of antisemitism to pursue other, political ends. Sue LukesLondon | • As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor I never stop worrying about how we can make “never again!” meaningful. But as an active member of both the Labour party and my Jewish community, I can say that the assertion that “Labour has become a cold house for the Jews” is simply not borne out by the facts. The party has become a much warmer place for everyone, including Jews, since Jeremy Corbyn was elected. However, some people, inside and outside the party, appear to use allegations of antisemitism to pursue other, political ends. Sue LukesLondon |
| • Jonathan Freedland has in the past pointed out that Israel’s policies conflict with Jewish values of regard for the immigrant, love for the neighbour and human brotherhood. The failure to put sufficient pressure on Israel to stop expansion and its oppression of Palestinians is partly caused by America’s insistence on a non-Arab ally in the Middle East and an innate sympathy with settlers. It is a grave disservice not only to Palestinians but also to Israelis not to put pressure on the Israeli state to make these concessions. Walter WolfgangChair, Labour CND | • Jonathan Freedland has in the past pointed out that Israel’s policies conflict with Jewish values of regard for the immigrant, love for the neighbour and human brotherhood. The failure to put sufficient pressure on Israel to stop expansion and its oppression of Palestinians is partly caused by America’s insistence on a non-Arab ally in the Middle East and an innate sympathy with settlers. It is a grave disservice not only to Palestinians but also to Israelis not to put pressure on the Israeli state to make these concessions. Walter WolfgangChair, Labour CND |
| • Lord Levy warns he could quit Labour over antisemitism, theguardian.com, 20 March). And who can argue with that? Sadly, the inference is that Jeremy Corbyn has not done so. I have been a Labour member for 35 years and haven’t experienced the cancer Levy claims to be exercising his disgust with the party and Corbyn. But haven’t those shown to be guilty been expelled? If there are more, then produce the evidence rather than make general accusations. | • Lord Levy warns he could quit Labour over antisemitism, theguardian.com, 20 March). And who can argue with that? Sadly, the inference is that Jeremy Corbyn has not done so. I have been a Labour member for 35 years and haven’t experienced the cancer Levy claims to be exercising his disgust with the party and Corbyn. But haven’t those shown to be guilty been expelled? If there are more, then produce the evidence rather than make general accusations. |
| It’s hard not to see the origin of this outburst as a continuation of the Blairite faction’s rejection of Corbyn’s legitimacy as leader. For some in the party, to have democratic accountability produce the “wrong” result, prompts the questioning of internal party democracy itself.Eddie DougallBury St Edmunds, Suffolk | It’s hard not to see the origin of this outburst as a continuation of the Blairite faction’s rejection of Corbyn’s legitimacy as leader. For some in the party, to have democratic accountability produce the “wrong” result, prompts the questioning of internal party democracy itself.Eddie DougallBury St Edmunds, Suffolk |
| • I appreciate that a stock photo of “your average British Jew” will make for unremarkable viewing, but the decision to accompany Jonathan Freedland’s article online with a photo of a member of the ultra-Orthodox community (who make up less than 16% of British Jews) just helps reinforce stereotyping of Jews as “other”.Juliet StevensLondon | • I appreciate that a stock photo of “your average British Jew” will make for unremarkable viewing, but the decision to accompany Jonathan Freedland’s article online with a photo of a member of the ultra-Orthodox community (who make up less than 16% of British Jews) just helps reinforce stereotyping of Jews as “other”.Juliet StevensLondon |
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