The anti Corbyn Rant

[mercalia]

An interesting article inthe Guardian suggesting rant against Corbyn re antisemitism is politically motivated ( in the media )

I was having my doubts myself and would like to know the makeup of the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council what sort of people they are, who seem to be leading the attacks

The article is signed by a large number of academics

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/02/stop-jeremy-corbyns-trial-by-media-over-antisemitism?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=269880&subid=7646217&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

seems like he cant win

a comedian quips
"Schneider tweeted: “‘Boo! Corbyn needs to get out and meet some Jews!’ (Corbyn spends Passover with some Jews at Jewdas) ‘Boo! Not those Jews!’”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/03/jeremy-corbyn-called-irresponsible-after-attending-radical-jewish-event

[pwa]

I'm not a Corbyn fan but I would find it very difficult to picture him as antisemitic. He may be a bit too tolerant of people who are, but that is another matter.

[reohn2]

This week he's a anti-Semitic
Last week he was a communist,siding with Putin
The week before he was Czech spy.
Before that he was in league with the IRA.
Before that it was Hezbolloh
He'll be the devil himself next week.

You know how frightened the Establishment are when they stoop so low,it's because they can't pin anything on him,so they have to make things up in the hope that if they sling enough mud some of it will stick.

[bikepacker]

I thought you would have to come in with blaming the establishment or the capitalists. You are so predictable and often wrong.

[reohn2]

I thought you would have to come in with blaming the establishment or the capitalists. You are so predictable and often wrong.

You forgot the "IMO" bit there bikers

[Vorpal]

I thought you would have to come in with blaming the establishment or the capitalists. You are so predictable and often wrong.

If you prefer, I can do it

[Tangled Metal]

Isn't the issue that he's not doing much about it not that he's antisemitic himself. I very much doubt three signatories of the Body and JLC letter think Corbyn is antisemitic himself. It's not a witch hunt against Corbyn just a movement trying to get Labour to act against antisemitism in their own party and associated movements.

Board of deputies is made up of representatives of individual synagogues and Jewish voluntary organisations who were elected by each of these bodies. Then they get together to elect a council out of these representatives to run the board.

The Jewish Leadership Council is made up of the chairs or similar of a wide range of Jewish organizations from BODs to the Jewish Labour Movement. It's a very broad grouping representing a very big list of Jewish organisations.

Ranging in the defend Corbyn no matter what camp is a certain left wing Jewish twitter based group with a few thousand twitter followers (can't remember the name but it's a TLA similar to the JLM in letters but not an organised body in the way v the JLM are. Others like JEWDAS are extreme organizations who have made comments along the lines of Israel is a sewage pollution that needs cleaning up. Also only 4500 or so Facebook followers.

Also, on the side of mainstream Jewish groups is the leader or founder of momentum who in his position gave a statement which among other points said it was not a right wing smear campaign against Corbyn.

So to summarise, every mainstream Jewish body in the UK believes there is an issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party / movement. Those who accuse them of a right wing smear are loose organizations who have expressed extreme views in the past and AFAIK have not actually stated whether they believe there is a problem or isn't a problem.. They only accuse that those expressing concern that there is a problem are right wing and are trying to smear/remove from position or generally discredit / weaken the leader of the opposition.

Who knows which side is right? Corbyn, founder of moment, JLC, BODS, etc or JEWDAS and a few extreme organizations.

[pwa]

Where does this antisemitism come from? I'm curious about that. It used to be an extreme fringe of right wing nutters, but Labour??? Is it people who have taken a legitimate interest in the plight of Palestinians, but who have strayed into antisemitic views from that? Is it Labour supporting Muslims, again concerned about Gaza or the West Bank but falling into the trap of seeing Jews as the problem, rather than the policies of the government of Israel? Who are these antisemites?

[fossala]

First I just want to say I'm not pro Corbyn, I'm a Communist (reform doesn't work and this is yet another example). I listen to Radio 4 every morning and I'm sick of the smear campaign against him. Furthermore you can be anti-Zionist/anti-Israel without being anti-Semitic.

[661-Pete]

taken a legitimate interest in the plight of Palestinians, but who have strayed into antisemitic views from that?... Who are these antisemites?

Would you like me to cite some examples, from my own personal experience?
I thought not.

Furthermore you can be anti-Zionist/anti-Israel without being anti-Semitic.

This is perfectly true, but would you like me to cite some counter-examples, from my own personal experience?
I thought not.

No pressing me for details, please. There are some things I'd prefer to keep to myself.

[pwa]

taken a legitimate interest in the plight of Palestinians, but who have strayed into antisemitic views from that?... Who are these antisemites?

Would you like me to cite some examples, from my own personal experience?
I thought not.

Furthermore you can be anti-Zionist/anti-Israel without being anti-Semitic.

This is perfectly true, but would you like me to cite some counter-examples, from my own personal experience?
I thought not.

No pressing me for details, please. There are some things I'd prefer to keep to myself.

A bit cryptic Pete.

This business about antisemitism in the Left is something I've only really been conscious of for a year or so. I suppose it has been in existence for longer than that, but it hasn't been something I've given much thought to. I have long been aware that when opposing Israeli government policy one has to be careful not to create the impression that one hates all Israelis or, even worse, all Jews. It is a delicate area where misplaced word can make a lot of trouble.

I grew up in an area with no synagogues and I wasn't aware of any Jews locally. There may have been some nearby, but I wasn't aware of them. The first Jew I had as a friend was anti-Israel politically, which may or may not have been just a student phase in their life. But it does show how Jewish ethnicity and politics are two different things that don't automatically align.

Being born 15 years after the end of WW2 I grew up surrounded by the horror of what Nazi Germany had done to the Jews of mainland Europe. My parents talked about it, we were taught about it in school, and it was generally regarded as the low point in human history. It seems bizarre to me that antisemitism, a creed I associate with daft and twisted people from the early twentieth century, can be alive and well today. I had hoped that particular strain of nastiness was dying off in the UK.

[661-Pete]

Yes I've deliberately left it cryptic.

I'm quite prepared to talk about anti-zionism as a separate issue from anti-semitism - especially seeing as I detest the policies of the Netanyahu regime (albeit an elected government).

But it's when one spills over into the other, that I clam up.

Corbyn is making a big mistake, in my view. He should be standing up for Palestinians (amongst which I'd include many Israelis), rather than exacerbating schisms within the Jewish communities.

[pwa]

Yes I've deliberately left it cryptic.

I'm quite prepared to talk about anti-zionism as a separate issue from anti-semitism - especially seeing as I detest the policies of the Netanyahu regime (albeit an elected government).

But it's when one spills over into the other, that I clam up.

Corbyn is making a big mistake, in my view. He should be standing up for Palestinians (amongst which I'd include many Israelis), rather than exacerbating schisms within the Jewish communities.

Quite tricky for him to do that at the moment, though. He needs to reassure UK Jews and establish his own position as someone who wants a fair solution for everyone in the region before wading in to support Palestinian groups. He is looking a bit clumsy at the moment. He is allowing a narrative to build in which he is portrayed as being soft on antisemites. As long as that persists he cannot be critical of the Israeli government. He has to roll his sleeves up and deal with it PDQ.

[mercalia]

it seems that the Board of Deputies of British Jews isnt as non partisan as they have been presented seeming to support Donald Trump
which has angered some under the umbrella of the organisation.

Furthermore the article says that the concentration on antisemitism in the Labour party seems to suggest it is only a labour thing rather than a more wide spread issue

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/04/jewish-corbyn-supporter-antisemitism-gaslighting?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=270168&subid=7646217&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2


http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/board-congratulations-trump/

[bovlomov]

it seems that the Board of Deputies of British Jews isnt as non partisan as they have been presented seeming to support Donald Trump
which has angered some under the umbrella of the organisation.

Furthermore the article says that the concentration on antisemitism in the Labour party seems to suggest it is only a labour thing rather than a more wide spread issue

I only read what the press reports of the Board of Deputies, but as far as I can see they have been rather quiet about the associations the Conservative Party has with anti-semites and racists.