{"id":61400,"date":"2018-03-26T06:12:35","date_gmt":"2018-03-26T06:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=61400"},"modified":"2018-03-26T06:12:35","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T06:12:35","slug":"jewish-groups-attack-jeremy-corbyn-anti-semitism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/world-news\/jewish-groups-attack-jeremy-corbyn-anti-semitism.html","title":{"rendered":"Jewish groups attack Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jewish groups attack Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

“Enough is enough,” Jewish groups have said in a letter accusing Jeremy Corbyn of failing to tackle anti-Semitism.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Labour leader has said he is “sincerely sorry” for the pain caused by “pockets of anti-Semitism” in the Labour Party.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Corbyn said he would be meeting representatives of the Jewish community to “rebuild” confidence in his party.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the organisations behind the open letter are planning a protest outside Parliament on Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The letter – drawn up by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council – said there has been a “repeated institutional failure” to properly address anti-Semitism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom Watson apologises over ‘anti-Semitic’ mural row<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremy Corbyn regrets comments about ‘anti-Semitic’ mural<\/span><\/p>\n

It accuses Mr Corbyn of being unable to “seriously contemplate anti-Semitism, because he is so ideologically fixed within a far left worldview that is instinctively hostile to mainstream Jewish communities”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The organisations refer to Mr Corbyn’s apparently supportive message to the creator of an allegedly anti-Semitic mural in 2012 and his attendance at “pro-Hezbollah rallies”.<\/span><\/p>\n

They say the Labour leader has “sided with anti-Semites” either because of “the far left’s obsessive hatred of Zionism” or ” a conspiratorial worldview in which mainstream Jewish communities are believed to be a hostile entity, a class enemy”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The letter says those who push anti-Semitic material view Mr Corbyn as “their figurehead” and that he is “the only person with the standing to demand that all of this stops.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The letter will be delivered to a meeting of Labour MPs and peers, although the Labour leader is not expected to attend.<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Sincerely sorry’<\/span>
\nIn a statement released on Sunday evening, Mr Corbyn said: “I want to be clear that I will not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism that exists in and around our movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We must stamp this out from our party and movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We recognise that anti-Semitism has occurred in pockets within the Labour Party, causing pain and hurt to our Jewish community in the Labour Party and the rest of the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Corbyn said he and the party – which has “deep roots in the Jewish community” – were now campaigning to “increase support and confidence in Labour” among Jewish people in Britain.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said: “I will be meeting representatives from the Jewish community over the coming days, weeks and months to rebuild that confidence in Labour as a party which gives effective voice to Jewish concerns and is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism in all its forms.”<\/span><\/p>\n

‘A truly terrible day’<\/span><\/p>\n

Labour MP Ian Austin said he was “ashamed” that “it has come to this” and one-time Labour leadership candidate Liz Kendall said it was “a truly terrible day” when the Jewish community felt the need to write “such a letter”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism group has also called for a national protest against anti-Semitism in Labou<\/span><\/p>\n

What caused the row?<\/span><\/p>\n

In October 2012, street artist Mear One posted a picture of his mural in east London called “Freedom of Humanity” on Facebook, with the words: “Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of expression. London calling. Public Art.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Corbyn replied: “Why? You are in good company. Rockerfeller destroyed Diego Viera’s mural because it includes a picture of Lenin.”<\/span><\/p>\n

More recently, Labour MP Luciana Berger sought clarification from the leader’s office on the 2012 comments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Corbyn said: “I sincerely regret that I did not look more closely at the image I was commenting on, the contents of which are deeply disturbing and anti-Semitic.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism in any form.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Mear One – whose real name is Kalen Ockerman – has denied being anti-Semitic, saying the mural was about “class and privilege”.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Sunday, senior Labour figures defended Mr Corbyn. Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald told Sky News that the Labour leader “hasn’t got an anti-Semitic bone in his body” and that the row had “misinterpreted the intentions of a really good and decent man”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the mural was “grotesque and disgusting” but that Mr Corbyn had given his explanation for his online comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shadow leader of the House of Commons Valerie Vaz told BBC Radio 4: “I think it’s really regrettable that it has got this bad and I would want to apologise to the Jewish community for any offence that has been caused.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Deputy Labour leader Mr Watson told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I am very, very sorry that people feel hurt by this and that is why I think it is right that Jeremy has expressed regret for it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2016 an inquiry into anti-Semitism in the Labour party, led by Shami Chakrabarti, said the party was not overrun by racism but there was “too much clear evidence… of ignorant attitudes”.<\/span><\/p>\n

It followed the suspension of MP Naz Shah and ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone amid anti-Semitism claims.<\/span><\/p>\n

The inquiry made a number of recommendations including procedural rule changes to improve the party’s disciplinary process and the adoption and publication of a complaints procedure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-43536830<\/span><\/p>\n

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