ANTI-SEMITISM ATTACK ON BRITAIN'S LABOUR PARTY: CONSPIRACY AT WORK?

B

ritain's Labour Party is currently under what seems to be a concerted, voracious and, probably, extremely damaging attacked arising from allegations of anti-semitism within the Party.  The Labour Party MP, Naz Shah, who has since apologised for remarks she made about Israel being moved to the United States, and Labour Party member, Ken Livingstone, have both been accused of making antisemitic comments. Indeed, even the Party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has himself been accused of having met people from organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been deemed to be antisemitic.

T

he press and media in Britain is currently having a 'feeding frenzy', as they delve into the issue, massage and manipulate it to their advantage. This attack is being waged so viciously and systematically that it does beg the question: 'Is it a conspiracy to weaken the Labour Party, especially coming as it did, less than a week before the British local government elections'? Could the secret services of Israel have a hand in this matter; if not having initiated it, probably in pouring gasoline on the fire which has been started? Could the current British government be stoking it?

A

fter all, it does appear that the definition of anti-semitism is or has been extended to not only those who make offensive remarks against or cause physical harm to people of Jewish origins and/or their property, but also, it now appears, to those who rage against the state of Israel, and/or support those fighting against Israel, because of her treatment of the Palestinian people, 

T

he idea that the British Labour Party is, in effect a party shielding 'closeted antisemites', could be perceived as deeply offensive and repugnant to ordinary party members and members of the British electorate who vote for it. In politics, as in other spheres of public and private life, innuendos, allegations and accusations can be extremely damaging, as people can be very gullible and take them to be true, prior to any due process to determine their veracity.  

H

owever, for whatever reason/s, in the current media and, probably 'conspiratorial' hype which is washing over Britain at present, it seems very difficult and risk to even try to discuss antisemitism frankly and objectively, without the fear of being accused of being an antisemite. It would seem that you could be damned if you do and damned if you do not; a dangerous situation which could lead to analytical paralysis and give rise to people allowing a 'witch hunt' atmosphere to take hold. 

W

hich is rather ironic, since it could be perceived at the kind of atmosphere which pervaded Germany during the rise of Hitler's Nazistic reign.

I

t also explains, on a national level, why only Arab and Muslim countries might speak out against disproportionate Israeli military and administrative action against the Palestinians; they are fearful of being labelled antisemitics.  

I

f Zionism is an ideology which is held by most Jewish people, then, it is understandable that they will want the state of Israel to be defended at all cost, even if, like the Europeans and Americans, they might speak up for the Palestinians, but  probably can do nothing effective to help bring about a just settlement.

A

ntisemitism, like other forms of hating a race or ethnic group and victimising them on the basis of their 'differentness', is repugnant and unjustified. It is a fact that Jewish people have been suffering from antisemitism for hundreds of years before the creation of the state of Israel, but probably more so since the creation of that state, and since the Holocaust.  Like all other people, British Jewish people have a right to be treated fairly and with respect. If somebody or an organization behaves towards a Jewish individual or Jewish people per se in a manner which breaches the law, then they should be held accountable within the law.

T

he Labour Party is clearly more 'radically left', than the Conservative Party, which is more 'radically right.'  It is not clear why the Labour Party should have more antisemites than, say, the Conservative Party party, or other mainstream political parties the rest of Europe, for that matter.

I

f it were found to be the case that it does, then, clearly people would want to dissociated themselves from the Labour Party, which would then need to cleanse itself.  However, I suspect that, while antisemites might well be found in the Labour Party and probably all political parties, it is probably more likely that it will be some of their policies towards Israel, which will found to be the more problematic issue. 

T

he characterisation of 'antisemitism' can be elasticated to include or exclude who and what is an antisemite or antisemitism. Semantics and politics can be as important as physical, religious and cultural characteristics.

W

e all need to continue to strive to live in peaceful co-existence with our fellow human, respecting our differences, but not maximising them and, at the same time extolling our shared humanity.

OWOHROD