The Board of Deputies has registered its dismay with Welsh Labour that it suspended and then quietly readmitted a politician, after the JC revealed she had said her local Jewish community's security fears could be “in their own heads”.
In a “robust” meeting with the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford, Board senior vice president Sheila Gewolb said the suspension of Welsh Assembly Member Jenny Rathbone was "too quick" and the process of investigating her "not as fair, transparent or as strong as it needs to be, despite her apology and efforts to engage with the Jewish community".
Ms Rathbone, who sits on the Welsh Assembly, was "readmitted to the group at the start of the spring term" after being suspended on November 20, seven days after the JC published a recording of her speaking in 2017 in which she speculated security at a Cardiff synagogue was partly the result of "siege mentalities".
Ms Rathbone had been a key supporter of Mr Drakeford, the pro-Jeremy Corbyn First Minister who was elected to lead Welsh Labour on December 13.
Ms Gewolb said he acknowledged to her that Labour had not been “quick or tough enough” in dealing with antisemitism and that “much more needs to be done.”
During the meeting, which took place in Cardiff, the pair discussed issues including education, religious freedom, and the “polarising discourse” on Israel.
Ms Gewolb said: “We will continue to hold the Welsh Government to account to ensure that Wales is a safe, open and welcoming place for the Jewish community".
Ms Rathbone, who represents Cardiff Central, sparked widespread fury after the recording, which was made in 2017, became public in November.
She could be heard offering her thoughts about extra security measures at the Cyncoed Synagogue in Cardiff in response to a question from the audience.
She said: "The fact that the Jewish synagogue in Cyncoed is, is become one of these, you know, fortress is really uncomfortable.
"How much of it is for real and how much of it is in their own heads is really hard for an outsider to judge, but I think siege mentalities are also part of it.”
Discussing an increase in antisemitic hate crime, she added: "I think it's the failure to come to a peace settlement around Palestine and Israel.
"I think that the Israeli government's behaviour in occupying Palestinian lands... I think that's what drives people to be hostile to the Jewish community in this country and I think the Jewish community has a responsibility to try and promote peace in the Middle East."
Ms Rathbone later said: "I accept that comments I made... were insensitive and have laid me open to accusations of intolerance."
She said she had "no intention" of downplaying security fears with the Jewish community and was "deeply sorry that I did".
She added: "It is also not acceptable to suggest that the Jewish community are responsible for the actions of the Israeli government."
