That's a good, thought provoking post Jon which I can tell you got me rethinking the conclusions I've come to about the Anti-Semitism issue more than any "official" statements from the Labour party on the matter.
Coming from another perspective is this piece from Jonathan Freedland from today's Guardian;-
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ers-rothschild
My own life experiences on this subject include remembrance as a boy of people perceived to be careful with their money being called Jews or Jewish as a form of what we'd call banter these days I suppose no matter what their religion was. Also, forty years ago, and then again in 1981, I was involved in industrial disputes which saw me occasionally volunteer to be an overnight picket outside Companies House to try to persuade the driver of the mail van delivering all of the office's correspondence not to cross our line. On one of those nights I can remember the six of us having long discussions about the "middle east situation" - opinion was overwhelmingly pro Palestine and anti Israel which, generally speaking, chimed in with my feelings on the matter.
I've never been a member of the Labour Party, but in the years following those disputes, I became as involved in left wing politics as I've ever been. Looking back, I think it was more to do with my anti Thatcher sentiments than total support of the sort of policies being espoused by the Michael Foot led Labour Party, but I was in regular contact with people who were involved in trade union leadership at a local level, as well as some who were left wing by the standards of Labour at that time and others who belonged to parties to the left of Labour and, I must say, that those pro Palestine, anti Israel sentiments were overwhelming prevalent.
Therefore, I feel Jonathan Freedland is right to point to a historic antipathy towards Jews based on a perception which has much to do with claims relating to money and power, but, as he seemingly acknowledges himself, it does not extend to the Labour leadership, and those close to it, themselves.
What I saw in the late seventies and early eighties was anti Israel sentiment, but not total condemnation of Jews, it all came within the context of the situation in the middle east and I still believe that, at heart, this is what drives Jeremy Corbyn.
However, in much the same way as I believe the Leave campaign and the Referendum outcome provided a situation whereby racists could feel their views were "respectable" and almost part of the mainstream, I feel Labour has helped create a situation whereby Jews, and anyone of other faiths that defends them, are vilified, castigated and trolled incessantly by people who claim to be acting on behalf of the party and its leader.
Of course, much of this occurs through social media, so it might be said that Labour has no control of what goes on. However, if Jeremy Corbyn's main motivation has always been from a Israel/Palestine perspective, not an anti Jew one, he, and his party, could, surely, have been more passionate in their criticism of what is blatant anti Semitism by social media users who say they are supporters of his. I would expect, and support, any party of the left which was a big critic of the Netanyahu Government in Israel, but that's far different to what has been happening for too long with those who ally themselves to the Labour Party and, in particular, Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party.
Labour under Corbyn have given an impression that they are tolerating Anti Semitism. I can imagine some thinking I'm being too soft by not labeling them anti Semitic, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on that while observing that, just as with Brexit, the party's, and in particular it's leader's, passive approach is putting them in what is ridiculous position for the main opposition party to a Government that is unparalleled in my lifetime when it comes to sheer ineptitude.
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
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