Anti-Semitism in UK Labour megathread

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Suspect Hodge will be Ind, Barking before too long.

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Here's the thing, if Margaret Hodge called Corbyn a "f***ing anti-Semite" and hasn't apologised, she must believe it's the case.

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So, the primary debate on all this seems to be whether you should be allowed to compare Jews to Nazis, which isn't even a good argument strategy.

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I think that IHRA definition needs a new example: Accusing supporters of Israel of being paid shills for the Israeli government.

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Corbyn could do something that would convince a lot of people he's not an anti-Semite; meet with the Israeli Prime Minister.

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While it seems to me the right-wing press are dragging out this dirt on a regular basis for political reasons, the fact there is this much "dirt" is rather concerning.

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Anti-semitism is going to be mainly from the right and some SJWs who hate all whites. What the left has more of than the right is criticism of Israel. Actual anti-semitism shouldn't be tolerated, but people need to stop conflating criticism of Israel and anti-semitism. If Mertez was in power, I think you'd see a lot less criticism of Israel.

Jesus Christ

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt...

It's also one in Sudan... which I believe doesn"t recognise Israel.

You don't seem to get "this country shouldn't exist" with critics of any other nation to quite the same level.

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There has also been a growth of a certain sort of strange 'racial' conception of Muslims in recent years that often tips over into pretty disturbing territory.

While there is the concept of a single Muslim people, the ummah as it's known, in that faith, it must be said that Muslims are a very diverse bunch. After all, the most populous Muslim majority country is Indonesia.

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Corbyn's gone from the one thing that a politician fears more than being hated; being mocked.

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You'd call this youthful folly if the guy wasn't old enough for his Freedom Pass.

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I mean there’s really no way for Corbyn to explain this in a way he comes out looking good (not to mention his Provo fanboyism). This is Trump-level blinkers when it comes to foreign policy

There are two explanations here; he either deliberately laid a wreath on the grave of a suspected terrorist... or he did so by mistake. Neither make him look good.

This is Michael Foot's donkey jacket x10.

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I decided to ask r/Arabs for a translation of the wreath. Two of them looked at my somewhat pro-Israeli post history and were openly hostile to me. I guess the stereotype about Arabs and hospitality is false.

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If Theresa May didnt run a terrible campaign in 2017, Corbyn would have definitely not ben an issue today. How she lost a near 20 point lead in one month is stunning

If Corbyn had been a better leader, she wouldn't have called an election in 2017.

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People often misquoting the "racist endeavour" line. It's

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Now I'm in favour of a Palestinian state, but I do not approve of the methods used to obtain it and I have no desire to see one created instead of Israel.

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So, #HodgeComparisons on Twitter... I'm glad I left the Labour Party.

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He'd probably be too pro-Israel for Corbyn.

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The thing about the Israel/Nazi comparison falls flat when you read about Corbyn meeting with a jailed and released Hamas leader. The Nazis would have hanged him.

Israel has executed precisely two people in its history and one of those was Adolf Eichmann.

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Two wrongs don't make a right.

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Also, some new Corbyn comments from 2013 have emerged:


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6087783/amp/Jeremy-Corbyn-said-British-Zionists-no-sense-English-irony.html?__twitter_impression=true

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Yes and was executed for high treason after it.

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We've got a video of him basically arguing that Israel was a colonialist (and by extension racist) creation, which is the one part of the IHRA examples Labour won't adopt....

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Now if you support settlements (especially) and disproportionate bombings in Gaza and other discriminatory practices you are as racist as those opposing Zionism #1.

And I don't. However, too many assume that Zionism #2 support is Zionism #3 support i.e. Israel can do anything it likes.

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At its core, postcolonialist/antiracist critiques of international relations undermine the legitimacy of any state that has its roots in the nationalism and imperialism of the 16th-19th centuries. Like Canada, the US, Australia, as well as the colonizing powers of Europe, Israel is imbricated in a system that originally justified its existence in explicitly racial terms.

That kind of applies to near every country on the planet. Including Venezuela, a particular favourite of the far left. Or Zimbabwe.

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Maybe what Labour should do is confirm that there is nothing wrong with Zionism, but that we oppose Revisionary Zionism? Could that solve the problem?

That and Corbyn could take a trip to Yad Vashem.

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It would be like Prince Harry's visit to Auschwitz after he was caught wearing a Nazi armband at a costume party.

It worked for Harry, ultimately. Everyone loves him now.