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Apologise for your own failures over antisemitism crisis, Board, JLC and CST tell Corbyn
In separate letters to Labour, the groups condemn his meetings with 'antisemites, terrorist-sympathisers and other extremists'
August 29, 2018 14:16
In separate letters to Labour, the groups condemn his meetings with 'antisemites, terrorist-sympathisers and other extremists'
August 29, 2018 14:16The Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust have all urged Jeremy Corbyn to apologise for associating with anti-Israel extremists over the years, to help end Labour's antisemitism crisis.
A letter from the Board - a response to Labour General Secretary Jennie Formby’s own letter “outlining the Labour Party’s recent actions to tackle antisemitism” – suggested that, rather than acting as a “peace maker” between Israel and the Palestinians, as Mr Corbyn has repeatedly suggested, his participation at “events with antisemites, terrorist-sympathisers and other extremists” showed “beyond contention” that he wished to show “solidarity” with, rather than challenge these groups.
In a separate joint response to Ms Formby, the JLC and CST say Mr Corbyn should make "public acknowledgement of, and apology for" his association with such groups, adding the atmosphere in the part is "too febrile and too lacking in trust for us to consult in any way that risks being construed as somehow lacking in transparency".
In the Board's letter, chief executive Gillian Merron writes: “Peace-makers speak to different parties to conflict and seek to show empathy with both and find common ground.
“There is no evidence that Mr Corbyn has sought to reach out to challenging – or even mainstream – Israeli speakers.
“Through these actions, he has not advanced the cause of peace and, potentially, even set it back. We would urge that any future activism on this issue by Mr Corbyn should engage with mainstream Israeli and Palestinian leaders, with a view to advancing peace based on the concerns of both communities.”
Referring to the Labour leader’s comments about “Zionists” and his claim that they are “somehow un-British”, the letter accuses Mr Corbyn of resorting to a “classic racist trope.”
It says: “These failures of judgement send a signal that such behaviour is acceptable or laudable. This in turn leads to a hostile environment for Jews, where our Britishness is questioned and those who have even sought to kill British Jews or our relatives are praised.”
The letter then calls for Mr Corbyn to “acknowledge his own failings and offer a heartfelt apology to British Jews and to the Israeli victims of the terrorists with whom he has shown solidarity.”
Ms Merron renews the call for Labour to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in full with all its examples – but her letter raises serious concern about attempts to caveat the definition.
The letter suggests debate over the IHRA definition has “been completely unnecessary because it has been largely over a factual inaccuracy.”
It adds: “Opponents of the definition have said that it prevents criticism of Israel, while the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism says, clearly and explicitly, that ‘criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic’.
"It merely gives a few examples of where such criticism, ‘could, taking into account the overall context’, spill over in to antisemitism.”
Demanding that the party takes action, as promised by Mr Corbyn himself, against “parliamentarians, trade union leaders or other members” who attempt to deny antisemitism is an issue, the letter states: ”It is unfathomable that the anti-racist MP Ian Austin faces disciplinary action for expressing concern about racism, while Peter Wilsman’s inflammatory and prejudiced remarks have gone unpunished.”
Concern is also expressed about attempts to circumvent the Jewish Labour Movement’s involvement in antisemitism education and training sessions.
Ms Merron concludes: “The last few years have represented an incredibly painful period in the recent history of Jewish life in Britain.
“We have no interest in an ongoing dispute with any major political party about the nature of racism against us. However, our mission to promote and defend the interests of the UK’s Jews means that we cannot remain silent in the face of antisemitism. We hope that, over the coming weeks and months, Labour will do the necessary to turn the tide and end this conflict.”
In their letter, the JLC and CST suggest that submissions they made to the 2016 Chakrabarti Inquiry into antisemitism within Labour remains a “vital starting point” for engagement with the Jewish community, the letter calls for “those leading the party” to undertake a “deep cultural change.”
In their letter, JLC chief executive Simon Johnson and CST deputy chief executive Mark Gardner state that they consider the “current atmosphere” with Labour’s leadership as being “too febrile and too lacking in trust for us to consult in any way that risks being construed as somehow lacking in transparency.”
Their letter says: “This includes full appreciation of the fundamental religious and historical linkage between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, the impact of the Holocaust and subsequent antisemitism upon mainstream Jewish support for Zionism and modern day Israel.”
Suggesting that “most British Jews are Zionist”, the JLC and CST letter calls for Mr Corbyn to make a “public acknowledgement of, and apology for, the hurt his close associations and words over the years in the most extreme anti-Israel and anti-Zionist settings have cause the Jewish community.”
It is claimed that such is the level of current hatred that “no Jew can be an equal member of the Labour Party” because of the suspicion any pro-Zionist beliefs would raise.
