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| Jewish groups attack Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism | Jewish groups attack Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| "Enough is enough," Jewish groups have said in a letter accusing Jeremy Corbyn of failing to tackle anti-Semitism. | "Enough is enough," Jewish groups have said in a letter accusing Jeremy Corbyn of failing to tackle anti-Semitism. |
| The Labour leader has said he is "sincerely sorry" for the pain caused by "pockets of anti-Semitism" in the Labour Party. | The Labour leader has said he is "sincerely sorry" for the pain caused by "pockets of anti-Semitism" in the Labour Party. |
| Mr Corbyn said he would be meeting representatives of the Jewish community to "rebuild" confidence in his party. | Mr Corbyn said he would be meeting representatives of the Jewish community to "rebuild" confidence in his party. |
| However, the organisations behind the open letter are planning a protest outside Parliament later. | However, the organisations behind the open letter are planning a protest outside Parliament later. |
| The letter - drawn up by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council - said there has been a "repeated institutional failure" to properly address anti-Semitism. | The letter - drawn up by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council - said there has been a "repeated institutional failure" to properly address anti-Semitism. |
| It accuses Mr Corbyn of being unable to "seriously contemplate anti-Semitism, because he is so ideologically fixed within a far-left world view that is instinctively hostile to mainstream Jewish communities". | |
| The organisations refer to Mr Corbyn's apparently supportive message to the creator of an allegedly anti-Semitic mural in 2012 and his attendance at "pro-Hezbollah rallies". | The organisations refer to Mr Corbyn's apparently supportive message to the creator of an allegedly anti-Semitic mural in 2012 and his attendance at "pro-Hezbollah rallies". |
| They say the Labour leader has "sided with anti-Semites" either because of "the far left's obsessive hatred of Zionism" or "a conspiratorial worldview in which mainstream Jewish communities are believed to be a hostile entity, a class enemy". | They say the Labour leader has "sided with anti-Semites" either because of "the far left's obsessive hatred of Zionism" or "a conspiratorial worldview in which mainstream Jewish communities are believed to be a hostile entity, a class enemy". |
| The letter says those who push anti-Semitic material view Mr Corbyn as "their figurehead" and that he is "the only person with the standing to demand that all of this stops." | The letter says those who push anti-Semitic material view Mr Corbyn as "their figurehead" and that he is "the only person with the standing to demand that all of this stops." |
| Analysis by BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith | Analysis by BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith |
| What is extraordinary about this letter is not just the raw anger - but the fact that they directly blame Jeremy Corbyn and his brand of politics for allowing anti-Semitism to get a hold in the Labour Party. | What is extraordinary about this letter is not just the raw anger - but the fact that they directly blame Jeremy Corbyn and his brand of politics for allowing anti-Semitism to get a hold in the Labour Party. |
| They accuse him of a far-left world view which they say is instinctively hostile to mainstream Jewish communities. | |
| What they mean by that is a view of Israel as a sort of neo-colonialist, Imperialist power, associated with the US, oppressing Palestinians, and it is that sort of politics that has allowed anti-Semitic views to gain a hold. | |
| But Mr Corbyn's supporters believe claims of anti-Semitism are ridiculous and absurd, given the leader's anti-racism record - they say those making the accusations are using it to attack him. | |
| The letter will be delivered to a meeting of Labour MPs and peers, although the Labour leader is not expected to attend. | The letter will be delivered to a meeting of Labour MPs and peers, although the Labour leader is not expected to attend. |
| A protest will then be held outside the Houses of Parliament, which will see a number of Labour MPs - including Liz Kendall, John Woodcock and Ian Austin - join members of the Jewish community. | A protest will then be held outside the Houses of Parliament, which will see a number of Labour MPs - including Liz Kendall, John Woodcock and Ian Austin - join members of the Jewish community. |
| At the same time, a counter-demonstration by pro-Corbyn Jewish Labour members is due to be staged nearby. | |
| In a statement, the Jewish Voice for Labour group said it was "appalled" by the Board of Deputies' letter. | |
| "They do not represent us or the great majority of Jews in the party who share Jeremy Corbyn's vision for social justice and fairness. Jeremy's consistent commitment to anti-racism is all the more needed now." | |
| In a statement released on Sunday evening, Mr Corbyn said: "I want to be clear that I will not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism that exists in and around our movement. | In a statement released on Sunday evening, Mr Corbyn said: "I want to be clear that I will not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism that exists in and around our movement. |
| "We must stamp this out from our party and movement. | "We must stamp this out from our party and movement. |
| "We recognise that anti-Semitism has occurred in pockets within the Labour Party, causing pain and hurt to our Jewish community in the Labour Party and the rest of the country. | "We recognise that anti-Semitism has occurred in pockets within the Labour Party, causing pain and hurt to our Jewish community in the Labour Party and the rest of the country. |
| "I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused." | "I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused." |
| Mr Corbyn said he and the party - which has "deep roots in the Jewish community" - were now campaigning to "increase support and confidence in Labour" among Jewish people in Britain and he would meet members of the community in the coming days to "rebuild confidence". | Mr Corbyn said he and the party - which has "deep roots in the Jewish community" - were now campaigning to "increase support and confidence in Labour" among Jewish people in Britain and he would meet members of the community in the coming days to "rebuild confidence". |
| What caused the row? | What caused the row? |
| In October 2012, street artist Mear One posted a picture of his mural in east London called "Freedom of Humanity" on Facebook - which depicted businessmen, some of them the artist says are Jewish, counting money on a board game that is balanced on the backs of hunched-over men. | In October 2012, street artist Mear One posted a picture of his mural in east London called "Freedom of Humanity" on Facebook - which depicted businessmen, some of them the artist says are Jewish, counting money on a board game that is balanced on the backs of hunched-over men. |
| The artist wrote: "Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of expression. London calling. Public Art." | The artist wrote: "Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of expression. London calling. Public Art." |
| Mr Corbyn replied: "Why? You are in good company. Rockefeller destroyed Diego [Rivera's] mural because it includes a picture of Lenin." | Mr Corbyn replied: "Why? You are in good company. Rockefeller destroyed Diego [Rivera's] mural because it includes a picture of Lenin." |
| More recently, Labour MP Luciana Berger sought clarification from the leader's office on the 2012 comments. | More recently, Labour MP Luciana Berger sought clarification from the leader's office on the 2012 comments. |
| Mr Corbyn said he regretted not looking more closely at the image, which he called "deeply disturbing". | Mr Corbyn said he regretted not looking more closely at the image, which he called "deeply disturbing". |
| He added: "I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism in any form." | He added: "I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism in any form." |
| Mear One - whose real name is Kalen Ockerman - has denied being anti-Semitic, saying the mural was about "class and privilege". | Mear One - whose real name is Kalen Ockerman - has denied being anti-Semitic, saying the mural was about "class and privilege". |
| Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said the community had had enough of being ignored by Mr Corbyn. | Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said the community had had enough of being ignored by Mr Corbyn. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is the first time in my lifetime the Jewish community has felt the need to take to the streets to campaign against the leader of a major political party. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is the first time in my lifetime the Jewish community has felt the need to take to the streets to campaign against the leader of a major political party. |
| "Rightly or wrongly, Jeremy Corbyn is now the figurehead for an anti-Semitic political culture based upon obsessive hatred of Israel, conspiracy theories and fake news, and that is doing great harm, not just to the Labour Party, but to Britain in a wider sense." | "Rightly or wrongly, Jeremy Corbyn is now the figurehead for an anti-Semitic political culture based upon obsessive hatred of Israel, conspiracy theories and fake news, and that is doing great harm, not just to the Labour Party, but to Britain in a wider sense." |
| Labour MP Louise Ellman, former chairwoman of the Labour Jewish movement, said: "It's taken Jeremy far too long to admit how wrong he has been in failing to deal with anti-Semitism in the Labour Party." | |
| She told BBC Breakfast the Labour leader now had "to act and he's got to root out the anti-Semitism that is within the Labour Party". | |
| "It's just heartbreaking to see it but he has got to do something about it now. Words won't be enough," she added. | |
| In 2016 an inquiry into anti-Semitism in the Labour party, led by Shami Chakrabarti, said the party was not overrun by racism but there was "too much clear evidence... of ignorant attitudes". | In 2016 an inquiry into anti-Semitism in the Labour party, led by Shami Chakrabarti, said the party was not overrun by racism but there was "too much clear evidence... of ignorant attitudes". |
| It followed the suspension of MP Naz Shah and ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone amid anti-Semitism claims. | It followed the suspension of MP Naz Shah and ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone amid anti-Semitism claims. |
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