Workers Party of Britain

[Citizen's Nephew]

Absolutely.

I was watching Sky and BBC news last night and both - in a single report from a single reporter - chose to describe the Graham Jones comments as 'offensive' at one point, 'inappropriate' at another, and finally felt the need to throw in 'antisemitic'. They may well have been offensive or inappropriate (not to me) but they certainly were not antisemitic.

It has become part of the lazy and politically loaded currency of political parties and media in much of the west (global north) to accept the redefinition of antisemitism that has been pushed by Israel, its lobbyists and proxies for over 40 years - that criticism of Israel or of its state ideology (Zionism) is antisemitic. It is one area where Israel has made progress in the court of public opinion - or at least public discourse. It went the other way when the label of apartheid stuck, and now that the charge of genocide is getting massive traction in the global south and pockets of the global north.

It is using distorted language and warped (IHRA) definitions for political purposes. But it also undermines work to tackle the real antisemitism that has escalated alongside Islamophobia in recent times - and perversely validates those who blame Jews around the world for the crimes of the Israeli state. So we end up in the bizarre place where Israeli and western leaders use antisemitic tropes to justify Israeli political or military actions, where anti Zionist Jews in their tens or hundreds of thousands are denounced as anti semites, and where racists regularly denounce anti-racists as racist!

This is probably one of the best summaries of the current, dangerous, farcical use of the term I've read in a while. I'm genuinely tired of it and Sludge just made a good analogy to the McArthyesque nature of this. Starmer could become the next Hoover if things carry on in the current political trajectory. That's a terrifying prospect for the Labour Party and UK politics. But worst of all, all of this is now the side-show to sorting out people's lives, their needs, and health. It's so depressing. I feel for the people of Rochdale.

[jon1959]

This is probably one of the best summaries of the current, dangerous, farcical use of the term I've read in a while. I'm genuinely tired of it and Sludge just made a good analogy to the McArthyesque nature of this. Starmer could become the next Hoover if things carry on in the current political trajectory. That's a terrifying prospect for the Labour Party and UK politics. But worst of all, all of this is now the side-show to sorting out people's lives, their needs, and health. It's so depressing. I feel for the people of Rochdale.

I really must stop watching the BBC and Sky news! But interesting that today both have given prominent apologies for yesterday saying that Andy McDonald (see above the Azher Ali recorded comment from the Labour councillors meeting in October that the Mail published) had the Labour whip suspended for making anti semitic statements. Just the Guardian to apologise now? What McDonald said that has led to his purge by Starmer was:

“We won’t rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea can live in peaceful liberty.”

[life on mars]

What are we becoming.