By Ben Kerrigan-
Jeremy Corbyn has been forced to provide a detailed and decent apology after being slammed by British Jewish leaders over his failure to eradicate anti-semitisim in the Labour Party.
The criticism comes after Corbyn acknowledged earlier in March that he had been a member of a Facebook group that has posted anti-Semitic views. He denied ever reading the messages, but that has not vindicated him from suspicions and allegations of anti-Semitism. After a wave of criticism and uproar from British Jewish leaders, the Labour leader has been feeling the heat pretty tensely.
Last Friday, Jewish Labour lawmaker Luciana Berger challenged Corbyn’s office to explain something he had posted on Facebook five years ago. In the post, he was responding to Los Angeles-based artist Kalen Ockerman, who had complained that one of her London street murals was being painted over in response to criticism that it was anti-Semitic.
Berger was one of the many protesters who gathered outside Parliament. Addressing the crowd, she told them anti-Semitism had become “more commonplace, conspicuous and corrosive”.
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And her colleague Wes Streeting said the time was over for “mealy-mouthed words” from Mr Corbyn and action was needed to drain the “cesspit” of anti-Semitism. As a result, Corbyn has been forced to offer a strong apology for the perceived view his party is anti-Semitic, and that as their leader, he does not oppose it. Corbyn has in past times released statements condemning antisemitism but Jewish leaders seem unconvinced.
Mr Corbyn repeated his apology to Jewish people in a letter to Jewish leaders ahead of the protest.
In it, he says: “I recognize that anti-Semitism has surfaced within the Labour Party, and has too often been dismissed as simply a matter of a few bad apples.
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“This has caused pain and hurt to Jewish members of our party and to the wider Jewish community in Britain. I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused, and pledge to redouble my efforts to bring this anxiety to an end.”
“Criticism of Israel, particularly in relation to the continuing dispossession of the Palestinian people, cannot be avoided,” he said.
“Nevertheless, comparing Israel or the actions of Israeli governments to the Nazis, attributing criticisms of Israel to Jewish characteristics or to Jewish people in general and using abusive phraseology about supporters of Israel such as ‘Zion’ all constitute aspects of contemporary anti-Semitism.
“And Jewish people must not be held responsible or accountable for the actions of the Israeli government.” Mr Corbyn said “anti-Semitic attitudes have surfaced more often in our ranks in recent years” and he accepts criticism that the party “has been too slow in processing some of the cases that have emerged”. And in a statement on Sunday night, the Labour leader said he was “sincerely sorry” for the pain caused by “pockets of anti-Semitism” in the Labour Party.
TRACK RECORD
Corbyn’s letter is a positive way forward, especially if he is going to address anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. The Labour Party’s past track record of reckless anti-Semitic conduct has put Corbyn in a difficult position of being viewed as a supporter of such views. The Labour leader is a known and staunch critic of Israel, making him appear a likely candidate for supporting anti-Semitism.
However, his criticism of Israel does is not tantamount to the conclusion that he is anti-Semitic, but when other disparaging comments from members of his party surface, it inevitably contributes to the view the Labour leader does not object to anti-Semitism. As a result, Corbyn has been forced to offer a strong apology for the perceived view his party is anti-Semitic, and that as their leader, he does not oppose it. Corbyn has in past times released statements condemning antisemitism but Jewish leaders have been left unconvinced.
In 2016, former London mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended from the party after he said Adolf Hitler had been a supporter of Zionism in the 1930s. An internal review subsequently conducted soon concluded there was “much clear evidence” of “ignorant attitudes” toward the country’s Jewish population. With Corbyn’s strong words of condemnation and pledge to turn things around, it remains to be seen how far things will indeed change for the better and anti-Semitism will be eradicated.
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