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The Guardian view on antisemitism: stay vigilant on the left flank The Guardian view on antisemitism: stay vigilant on the left flank
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No decent person wants to be called racist, and for those on the left the charge has a particular sting. The Labour party, and especially the radical fringe from which Jeremy Corbyn and Ken Livingstone emerged, has a proud history of anti-racist activism. But the party and the broad movement – which turned out on wet weekends to confront the National Front in the 70s, made noise against apartheid in the 80s, and then the BNP in the 90s – finds itself charged with being contaminated by antisemitism. And with singular crassness, instead of clearing the air on Thursday, Mr Livingstone encouraged the accusation.No decent person wants to be called racist, and for those on the left the charge has a particular sting. The Labour party, and especially the radical fringe from which Jeremy Corbyn and Ken Livingstone emerged, has a proud history of anti-racist activism. But the party and the broad movement – which turned out on wet weekends to confront the National Front in the 70s, made noise against apartheid in the 80s, and then the BNP in the 90s – finds itself charged with being contaminated by antisemitism. And with singular crassness, instead of clearing the air on Thursday, Mr Livingstone encouraged the accusation.
Complaints about antisemitism on the left have often cropped up over the years, and there is always an ill-advised temptation to shrug them off. Before the latest Livingstone fiasco, some of the Westminster voices who had been pressing the wider charge at Labour, which the PM flung across the Commons last month, were not known for being especially energetic in confronting prejudice over the decades, and this heightened the defensive reflexes. While a few Labour activists had been exposed for nakedly racist past remarks about Jews having “big noses” or plotting 9/11, one could protest that a handful of disturbed minds can always be found in any large organisation. Other dangerously intemperate comments, including some – but not all – of those that saw the whip suspended from MP Naz Shah, are principally expressions of anti-Israeli fury, and as such could be written off as an unfortunate byproduct of Middle Eastern conflict. Indeed, this is the trick Mr Livingstone tried to pull.Complaints about antisemitism on the left have often cropped up over the years, and there is always an ill-advised temptation to shrug them off. Before the latest Livingstone fiasco, some of the Westminster voices who had been pressing the wider charge at Labour, which the PM flung across the Commons last month, were not known for being especially energetic in confronting prejudice over the decades, and this heightened the defensive reflexes. While a few Labour activists had been exposed for nakedly racist past remarks about Jews having “big noses” or plotting 9/11, one could protest that a handful of disturbed minds can always be found in any large organisation. Other dangerously intemperate comments, including some – but not all – of those that saw the whip suspended from MP Naz Shah, are principally expressions of anti-Israeli fury, and as such could be written off as an unfortunate byproduct of Middle Eastern conflict. Indeed, this is the trick Mr Livingstone tried to pull.
But by righteously brushing away any suggestions of a problem, the former London mayor, who did much to bring communities together after 7/7, greatly heightened the alarm. There can be no place in a progressive party for presuming – as Mr Livingstone did – to dictate to a minority the forms of hostility that it is entitled to resent. The tin ear he showed, and – above all – the offensive rants about Hitler’s policies before he “went mad”, earned his own suspension and should prompt wider reflection, too. For aspects of some recent cases – notably readmissions into the party after racism was established – point to something systematically awry, as does the sprawling row at Oxford University Labour club.But by righteously brushing away any suggestions of a problem, the former London mayor, who did much to bring communities together after 7/7, greatly heightened the alarm. There can be no place in a progressive party for presuming – as Mr Livingstone did – to dictate to a minority the forms of hostility that it is entitled to resent. The tin ear he showed, and – above all – the offensive rants about Hitler’s policies before he “went mad”, earned his own suspension and should prompt wider reflection, too. For aspects of some recent cases – notably readmissions into the party after racism was established – point to something systematically awry, as does the sprawling row at Oxford University Labour club.
Certain forms of antisemitism are a particular and recurrent danger among the left’s ranks, and it is as well to be vigilant. While one does not often hear outright antisemitism aired in progressive circles, you might occasionally catch suggestions that there are bigger problems to worry about, because the Jewish community is not deprived as other minorities are. Even if that is true as a statistical average, there are distinct pockets of hardship that should not be forgotten. More fundamentally, it is a short slip from here to refusing to accept antisemitism as real racism at all. One distinctive feature of anti-Jewish prejudice is that where other minorities are derided for being bestial or stupid, antisemitism imagines Jews as powerful pullers of strings. This can lend it an ersatz anti-establishment flavour, which genuine radicals must be alert to. Certain forms of antisemitism are a particular and recurrent danger among the left’s ranks, and it is as well to be vigilant. While one does not often hear outright antisemitism aired in progressive circles, you might occasionally catch suggestions that there are bigger problems to worry about, because the Jewish community is not deprived as other minorities are. Even if that is true as a statistical average, there are distinct pockets of hardship that should not be forgotten. More fundamentally, it is a short slip from here to refusing to accept antisemitism as real racism at all. One distinctive feature of anti-Jewish prejudice is that where other minorities are derided for being bestial or stupid, antisemitism imagines Jews as powerful pullers of strings. This can lend it an ersatz anti-establishment flavour, which genuine radicals must be alert to.
In international relations, the right as well as the left can lapse into “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. It always makes for ugly alliances, but when that designated enemy is Israel, a nation that defines itself as Jewish, then some of the enemy’s enemies are going to be bigots. Most people committed to justice for the Palestinians are more than capable of distinguishing between opposition to the Israeli state and hatred of the Jews, but the placards sometimes seen on demos – equating a swastika with the star of David, for example – suggest that some campaigners don’t. The post-1967 occupation needs to be condemned, and it is not in and of itself illegitimate even to question the original creation of Israel. It is, however, never legitimate to discuss the conflict without taking seriously the rights and claims of the people on the Israeli as well as the Palestinian side. In international relations, the right as well as the left can lapse into “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. It always makes for ugly alliances, but when that designated enemy is Israel, a nation that defines itself as Jewish, then some of the enemy’s enemies are going to be bigots. Most people committed to justice for the Palestinians are more than capable of distinguishing between opposition to the Israeli state and hatred of the Jews, but the placards sometimes seen on demos – equating a swastika with the star of David, for example – suggest that some campaigners don’t. The post-1967 occupation needs to be condemned, and it is not in and of itself illegitimate even to question the original creation of Israel. It is, however, never legitimate to discuss the conflict without taking seriously the rights and claims of the people on the Israeli as well as the Palestinian side.
Mr Corbyn is not an antisemite, and his enemies should not cheapen that charge by suggesting he is. There is, however, a question – put even by some sympathisers – as to whether there has been a selective hesitancy in condemning failings on the part of others. There was a cack-handed response to his brother’s dismissive tweet about a Jewish MP a few weeks ago, and sluggish discipline: Ms Shah’s suspension came more than 24 hours after the first of her offensive posts came to light. He must now go beyond the routine denunciations and demonstrate that he – and his Labour party – is as instinctively attuned to this perennial virus as to every other form of racism. Being true to his own anti-racist tradition means encouraging complainants to come forward, and being clear that where antisemitism is established, there are no half-measures or compromise. Mr Corbyn is not an antisemite, and his enemies should not cheapen that charge by suggesting he is. There is, however, a question – put even by some sympathisers – as to whether there has been a selective hesitancy in condemning failings on the part of others. There was a cack-handed response to his brother’s dismissive tweet about a Jewish MP a few weeks ago, and sluggish discipline: Ms Shah’s suspension came more than 24 hours after the first of her offensive posts came to light. He must now go beyond the routine denunciations and demonstrate that he – and his Labour party – is as instinctively attuned to this perennial virus as to every other form of racism. Being true to his own anti-racist tradition means encouraging complainants to come forward, and being clear that where antisemitism is established, there are no half-measures or compromise.