Top UK writers accuse Jeremy Corbyn's Labour of 'widespread' anti-Semitism

Mr Corbyn has been criticised for attending the event on Wednesday
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Chloe Chaplain6 November 2017
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Three of the UK’s top writers have accused the Labour party of “widespread” anti-Semitism which is being disguised as criticism of Israeli governments.

Historians Simon Schama and Simon Sebag Montefiore and Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson wrote a letter published in The Times today expressing their concern over the “tone and direction of debate about Israel and Zionism” in the party.

A Labour spokeswoman said the party takes allegations of anti-semitism "extremely seriously" and that its governing body the NEC had recently agreed a strong code of behaviour and pledge to tackle abuse.

In the letter the writers claim that “constructive criticism of Israeli governments has morphed into something closer to anti-Semitism under the cloak of so-called anti-Zionism”.

And they described Jeremy Corbyn’s reaction to accusations of ant-Semitism as “derisory”, writing: “It is not enough to denounce all racisms in general when this specific strain rages unchecked.”

Criticism: Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore signed the letter in the The Times
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They stated they have no objection to “fair criticism of Israel governments” but said it has become akin to “a demonisation of Zionism itself”.

They argue that “although anti-Zionists claim innocence of any anti-Semitic intent, anti-Zionism frequently borrows the libels of classical Jew-hating”.

Zionism is the national movement of the Jewish people that supports the right of them to a Jewish homeland and terrority in Israel.

Anti-Semitism accusations: Howard Jacobson, winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize, was one of three writers to pen the note
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The writers argue that accusations over Jewish “conspiracy and control of the media” equate Zionism with “colonialism and imperialism and the promotion of vicious, fictitious parallels with genocide and Nazism”.

“How, in such instances, is anti-Zionism distinguishable from anti-Semitism?” they wrote. “Such themes and language have become widespread in Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party.”

They said they support the right for a Palestinian state to exist peacefully alongside Israel, and acknowledged that the Palestinian people have suffered wrongs that must be healed.

Letter: Simon Schama was one of three writers to accuse the party of 'widespread' anti-Semitism
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“We do not attempt to minimalise their suffering nor the part played by the creation of the state of Israel. Yet justice for one nation does not make justice for the other inherently wicked.”

A Labour spokeswoman said: the party “takes all allegations of anti-Semitism extremely seriously”.

She added: “The NEC recently agreed a strong code of conduct for both online and offline behaviour and a strong pledge on abuse that all members are expected to abide by, and Conference this year voted overwhelmingly to introduce tough new rules to tackle discrimination.”

At the party conference in September Mr Corbyn faced criticism for not condemning anti-Semitism in his keynote speech and was urged to investigate a left-wing group accused of circulating anti-Semitic literature discussing the “commonality between Zionists and Nazis”.

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