Thread by @rabbisolomons

Thx @BridgitteTT for having me on @BBCBerkshire to talk about #antisemitism.
@TheIHRA definition is necessary cos too few people recognize it. Just saying “we condemn all racism” is not sufficient.
Here are some additional reasons we had no time for.
holocaustremembrance.com/resources/work…
1/11

Antisemitism is unlike other hatreds. People shape the image of Jews to suit their hatred.

Communists paint Jews as archetypal capitalists. Fascists say Jews forment communism.

Some say Jews are powerful bankers, media moguls. That’s nonsense, conspiracy theories.

2/11

The myth of Jewish power, the evil Israel lobby, frankly risible.

Nazi Germany took middle class, wealthy & poor Jews, threw us in the gas chambers of Auschwitz regardless of “power.”

All antisemites blame Jews - and the Jewish State, Israel - for the ills of the world.

3/11

Hatred of black people, Asians & other ethnic groups is largely based on skin colour.

Hatred of Jews is based on both ethnicity and other aspects of difference, but has other paranoias incorporated. It is weirder.

Hatred of Jews is often subtle, but dangerous. Owen:
4/11

Nobody would make up a book claiming that Romani hold an international congress to take over the world? Yet this lie created in 1903 in Russia, is often thrown at us Jews.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is used today to justify hating my family.
5/11
amazon.co.uk/Lie-That-Would…

Last week David Icke and Piers Corbyn organised a rally in Trafalgar Square. They both push antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Icke thinks we are alien reptiles infiltrating this world.

People believe this antisemitic conspiracy theory.
6/11
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilian…

Old lies are resurrected. The Blood libel has resurfaced not as a religious claim, but now claiming Israel harvests organs of Palestinian children it deliberately kills.

This is splashed across antizionist sites. It is not “criticism of Israel”. It’sJew-hate. #Antisemitism.
7/11

This needs recognition in a clear format as most people simply don’t understand it. It’s sometimes hard to spot. Sneering at Jewish people for “not understanding English irony” is (mild) antisemitism, @JeremyCorbyn.

This is here in Reading today.

We all need to deal w it.
8/11

When I first came to Reading I was approached by a Councillor, a former Mayor of the Borough, who smilingly said “Well things are good for you Jews. You own the banks, the movies, papers, eh!”

Of course I put him right. He could not see it was racism. It was #Antisemitism.
9/11

West Midlands Local Authorities all adopted @TheIHRA definition of #Antisemitism just last week.

W @EHRC about to report on #LabourAntisemitism it is high time Local Authorities adopted the definition, as part of their general antiracist stance.
10/11
wmca.org.uk/news/west-midl…

Here’s the Threadreaderapp version.
Antisemitism can be punching down AND punching up. Jews are unlike other hate victims in this respect.

Reading list:

Anthony Julius: Trials
Hadassah Ben Itto: Lie
Nirenberg: Antijudaism

11/11

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1302524…