1/ I have had a lot of responses to Friday's thread along the lines of "the Jewish community has shown bad faith too", the Jewish community never liked Corbyn anyway... etc.
Here's a few words on that (shorter this time, promise!).
Here's a few words on that (shorter this time, promise!).
2/ I wrote that thread in a genuine (perhaps naive) attempt to filter out the partisanship and tribal loyalty which the 'debate' over antisemitism in Labour Party has generated - as I want to think for myself and partisanship is now so fierce it may stop any chance of resolution.
3/ You can believe the following all at the same time:
(a) The Jewish community has genuine concerns over antisemitism in the Labour Party
(b) There are Conservative supporters in the Jewish community (along with many current or former Labour supporters)
(a) The Jewish community has genuine concerns over antisemitism in the Labour Party
(b) There are Conservative supporters in the Jewish community (along with many current or former Labour supporters)
4/ It is possible to believe that within a community of c300,000, there are some who see the Labour antisemitism crisis as a useful chance to undermine Corbyn - in a fiercely contested political environment that is highly likely. BUT
(AND PLEASE DON'T RETWEET THIS ON IT'S OWN)
(AND PLEASE DON'T RETWEET THIS ON IT'S OWN)
5/ But - identifying that fact isn't a get out of jail free card. It's too convenient to believe there's a conspiracy to undermine Corbyn. If we are genuinely concerned to eliminate racism we have to treat the fears of antisemitism respectfully and look beyond the politics.
6/ Every person who has a strong view on this issue has a responsibility to put a cold towel over their head, turn off Twitter and really research this, trying to put themselves into the mindset of someone who had no stake in the issue but just wants to get to the truth
7/ The reality is there has been a huge upsurge in antisemitism - not "grey area" antisemitism around Israel-Palestine issue but hardcore "Jews are taking over the world and the Holocaust is a hoax" antisemitism. @freedland puts is better than I can: theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
8/ I recommend this blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/labour… and then this report kantorcenter.tau.ac.il/sites/default/… by @daverich1 as a starting point. Whether you agree with the conclusions or the characterisation of how the far left's worldview shades into antisemitism, I believe has a lot of truth.
