1/ I watched the full video of Jeremy Corbyn's speech and the rest of the speeches so you don't have to! Here's what I have concluded (short thread)
2/ I have watched this carefully as, with any accusation of racism, it is important to see the full context. This was at the Britains Legacy in Palestine Conference in Jan 2013. The focus was on the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.
3/ The speeches are generally low key, academic in tone. I recommend the speech of the Palestinian Ambassador, Dr Manuel Hassasian. which is from 3 minutes in. He is eloquent and dignified - I don't agree, politically, with every word he says, but it's a good speech...
4/ ... & no snarky mentions of Zionists. Also democratic and non-revolutionary. Then comes Corbyn from 7:20. Controversial bit is from 8:25. People make much of Corbyn associating with unsavoury people and maybe some of the speakers at this conference said bad things in the past.
5/ But what strikes me about this video is that amongst the many speakers, of varying nationalities and backgrounds, Corbyn is the only one who lowers the tone and makes angry comments about "thankfully silent Zionists". And he is *angry* when he says it.
6/ He is comparing "Manuel", the Palestinian Ambassador who had just spoken (very well) to the "Zionists" who "having lived in this country a very long time, probably all their lives, they don't understand English irony". It's strikes me as a petulant comment, said with anger
7/ It has obviously racist undertones - the idea that British Zionists are not really British, they are interlopers here, they don't "get" English irony. I am not sure whether he is referring to all British Jews or not, but it doesn't really matter as it's so incautious
8/ As said, the thing that really struck me is that I expected to watch a hostile environment where Corbyn was just fitting in. But he is the only one, on this hour long video, to bring any animus at all. He lowers the tone from the eloquence of the others. It's weird.
9/ Final point - after the criticism earlier in the week of Corbyn's speaking style, his is a good speech! This is certainly something he is passionate about. That's all folks. /end
10/ I turned this into an article for @NewStatesman, with the help of the many excellent responses here, so thanks. newstatesman.com/politics/uk/20…
