Thread by @mishtal

What is institutionalised antisemitism?
When @jeremycorbyn became leader of @uklabour, many people joined the party. Most of them were decent voters that the party was happy to welcome back. Some were not. In 2015 and 2016 Labour digested some real 'baddies'.

People began to complain. To point out that because of Corbyn's role in anti-Israel activism, some people were far more interested in waving a Palestinian flag, than funding the NHS or new house builds. Many of those people held deeply antisemitic views.

That was the crossroads. Labour needed to clean house but it couldn't. Corbyn's world vision needed protecting. So people began to say that talk of antisemitism was all about stifling criticism of Israel. These simple messages spread quickly. But they also spread antisemitism

Antisemites and their supporters began to use the party infrastructure to either slow down the complaints process, deflect from the accusations or worse still - begin to push the notion Zionist Jews are all rich Tories anyway who just want to stop Labour's election.

A movement (JVL) was even created to paint the impression that the Jews are badly divided on Israel. It is an awful lie. Between 90 and 93% of British Jews see Israel as part of their Jewish identity and support its right to exist as a Jewish state. Only a tiny minority do not.

After three years the system is set up to deflect or ignore charges of antisemitism. To actually protect racists. Instead of getting rid of them you are more likely to see key party activists laying counter charges against the Jews - that they are somehow making it all up

To further embed the divide, the Palestinian flag was used as a public symbol of support for Corbyn. Meetings such as the conference turned into Palestinian support ceremonies. Whilst behind closed doors, JVL activists spread disinformation about Zionist Jews.

The party's online forums were used to spread false news from conspiracy websites. People protesting were blocked or called 'child killers' and silenced through intimidation. These days it is almost impossible to see reasoned debate on Zionism in any Labour circles.

Today I come across 1000s of Labour activists who 3 years ago were never posting about Jewish issues at all. Today, they think they are experts on Israel, Zionism and Jews, posting nonsense that proves they understand nothing about any of it & viciously attacking all who disagree

These new antisemitic foot soldiers are the Labour Party's shame. Members who have been fed false information from within the party machine. There is no forgiving Corbyn for what he has done. He has created a party that at a institutional level poses a threat to British Jews. END