Thread by @GarySpedding

It’s actually quite tiring to see just how many people are spinning the Shai Masot case and holding it up as some kind of proof that Pete Willsman‘s claims and sweeping antisemitic conspiracy theories are somehow true or accurate (they’re not).

Shai Masot was a young, ideological and chauvinistic individual who was employed somewhere inbetween the Israeli Embassy and the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs. The revelations about him in the Al Jazeera investigation were disturbing and rightly caused outrage.

It is frankly sickening to witness just how many people, in particular those who claim to be on the left, have turned the revelations surrounding Shai Masot into massive conspiracy theories so as to over exaggerate the influence and actions of the Israeli embassy in UK politics.

Shai Masot discussed funding opportunities with Joan Ryan MP that were related to providing resources for Israel advocacy and primarily trips to Israel. It is NOT unusual for various countries to fund all expenses trips for politicians and influencers to visit.

Shai Masot was indeed caught plotting to damage reputations of a number of politicians, including Sir Alan Duncan. This does not suggest that the Israeli embassy - which is part of the Israeli foreign Ministry as opposed to the ministry of strategic affairs - is behind all plots.

Shai Masot was also caught out being responsible for setting up, or at least attempting to establish, new Israel advocacy groups within various political settings. Sadly, antisemites have translated this into claims that the JLM is somehow an Israeli front... which is ridiculous.

Ultimately, once the activities of Shai Masot were revealed, he was fired from his position in the Israeli embassy and sent back to Israel. Even hardened conservative politicians were outraged by his activities. He pissed a lot of people off.

The Shai Masot affair does NOT stand as proof that the things Willsman or other conspiracy theory cranks on the left are claiming is somehow true. It is the people committing antisemitic acts and peddling antisemitic tropes that are behind the antisemitism crisis in Labour.

At the end of the day... even if there are individuals and groups exploiting antisemitism as a weapon against Labour... it still doesn’t change the fact that antisemitism exists in our ranks. Otherwise those who are making political gain from it wouldn’t be able to do so.

The best way to get rid of the spectre of antisemitism from the Labour Party is to rip it out root and stem. If we actually commit to tackling antisemitism rather than engaging in crank debates and conspiracism then we might actually get somewhere further forward.

It is incumbent upon all decent Labour Party members who hold genuine anti-racist principles for us to challenge those who hold up the Shai Masot affair as ‘proof’ that their conspiracy theories about Jews and the hidden hand of the Israeli embassy are somehow true...

Antisemites cause, create and perpetuate antisemitism. If we get rid of the antisemites and challenge antisemitic ideology wherever it manifests then we will redeem the Labour Party. If we stand as true allies to our Jewish comrades and compatriots then we will redeem ourselves.

I really must stress the importance of people carefully looking at the facts of what Shai Masot was actually revealed to have been doing and saying vs what people have imagined, exaggerated or straight up made up about what Masot was doing. It may help you avoid becoming a crank.

A really important one:

Shai Masot did NOT offer Joan Ryan £1 million as some kind of bribe. The context surrounding this segment of the Al Jazeera investigation, including Joan Ryan discussing names put into the embassy, is around funding trips to Israel.

The State of Israel is NOT the only state that funds all-expenses trips for foreign politicians, journalists and influencers. A wider variety of countries do this... it isn’t an uncommon thing to happen and budgets for such ventures vary massively.

Another important thing to note:

People involved in advocacy for a particular cause are often able to meet with politicians in order to lobby them.

It isn’t at all unusual for foreign embassies to employ lobbyists to operate in the UK parliament. It’s a standard practice.