By Pete Gregson, Edinburgh, on a debate that was, in 2018, tearing the Labour Party in two. Join One Democratic Palestine to help win it at www.onepalestine.land

See a list of all Pete’s videos on the IHRA.. CLICK HERE

To see the most recent update on the campaign to get Labour to drop the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, go to www.tinyurl.com/israelihra and scroll down to the end of the petition

TIMELINE OF IHRA NEWS

This hasn’t been updated for a while.. I blame COVID

January 2020- Pete resigns from the Labour Party, just before the hearing at which he was likely to be expelled… for criticising Israel. This is now deemed to be antisemitic activity at Labour. More on Pete’s travails in this regard at Rogues Gallery – One Democratic Palestine (onepalestine.land)

31st July 2019- Redress publish article Veteran justice campaigner Pete Gregson set to be expelled from the UK’s Labour Party for opposing Zionist racism

2th July 2019- Gig for Gaza: Pete’s 8 minute speech gives the reasons why Edinburgh should twin with Gaza- see it at www.tinyurl.gaza/whytwin  …………   If you live in Edinburgh, to sign the Council petition, which has had extensions and is open now till 31st January 2020, go to www.tinyurl.com/gazatwinregister

.. and if you want 50 minutes of the bestest music, see THE STONED HOLY ROLLERS PLAY THE GIG FOR GAZA at www.tinyurl.com/rollersgazagig

21st June 2019- Launch of publicity for “A Gig for Gaza” in Princes St Gardens, to take place on the 12th July 7-9.30pm- to help promote twinning petition. Get more info here

5th May 2019- Launch date for LAZIR at 12 noon at Labour HQ at 105 Victoria St, London. LAZIR is Labour Against Zionist Islamophobic Racism (LAZIR). Our aim is to rid Labour and the unions of the Zionist scourge and the fraudulent IHRA Definition of anti-Semitism. We want Labour to disaffiliate the Zionist Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) and affiliate Jewish Voice for Labour, because Zionism is racism. To read the full aims and policies of this campaigning group and to join for free, go to www.tinyurl.com/laziwork To join LAZIR directly, please click here

To see our launch video, please go to https://youtu.be/7Ab803f9GQw

30th April –  Petition to Edinburgh Council to twin with Gaza goes live- our target is 5,000 signatures by 18th July, when the petition closes, but only need 200 to get a hearing at Policy Committee- only Edinburgh citizens can sign here Twinning Edinburgh with Gaza City

24th April – Pete explains why he takes the Jewish Chronicle to IPSO in the post here

21st April- Pete publishes in Medium “Why 2,123 Labour members & I will tell the truth about Israel even if it means party expulsion“

20th April – Pete announces he is taking the Merseyside Police to court – and reporting the Labour Party to the Information Commissioner’s Office in his Change.org update here

7th April – Pete publishes emails of spat between he and Tony Greenstein, which resulted in Tony banning Pete from the LAW (unofficial) FB page. See the post here

1st April- draft aims and rulebook of Labour Against Zionist Infiltration (LAZI) published. Please add comment at tinyurl.com/laziwork . Those interested in joining can click here.

14th March – the Weekly Worker published full-page article “Reinstate Pete Gregson” The author made the usual criticisms of what we do, slagging off the petition, etc. Pete’s riposte is on the Letters page of the Weekly Worker of 21st March – see second one down: “Become witches”.

11th March Pete Gregson’s statement on expulsion at www.tinyurl.com/gmbstatement

5th March GMB Appeal Hearing into Pete Gregson’s expulsion For more information on the rally and the hearing click here

February – the Letters page of the Weekly Worker published Pete’s views on Holocaust Guilt and why so many of the UK’s civic bodies, political parties and unions have enthusiastically adopted the IHRA Definition. He maintains it’s all because Churchill did bog all during WW2 to help the Jews. You’ll see it on the letters page: scroll down past the first six letters to get to “Holocaust Guilt” here … the fact that the British Government and the Military top brass were anti-Semitic can be gleaned from the many Mosleyites who were employed, especially after the British Union of Fascists (BUF) was proscribed at the start of the war. The book “M” by Henry Hemming about Maxwell Knight, MI5’s greatest spymaster, who was himself very matey with the BUF, gives useful info on this.

1st Feb The British film director, Ken Loach, said of the 20 minute video Pete made about his GMB expulsion at www.tinyurl.com/gmbihra “Your case is made very clearly and is unanswerable. Pete, your position is justified and has to be defended.”

Skwawkbox of 5/2/19 Excl: what really happened in Monday’s PLP [calling for Corbyn to “tackle “anti-Semitism” in Labour”]– no vote, but a scurrilous attack on Formby

JVL post of 4/1/19 Reinstatement of Paul Jonson, suspended Dudley Council Worker (for saying Israel was a racist endeavour) , shows what a show of support can achieve See here

National of 4/1/19 GMB to expel Labour activist Pete Gregson for anti-Semitism

LAW Statement of 3/1/19: Shop Steward Expelled for ‘anti-Semitism’ by a Racist and Corrupt Trade Union Also Tony Greenstein’s blog of 3/1/19

Times of 29/12/18 and Jewish Chronicle of 31/12/18

POST of 29/12/18  Pete Gegson: Israel Exaggerates Holocaust

Rabbi Cohen Speech not taken at GMB Hearing Dec 2018, 20 min- video on Gregson’s suspension from GMB. 19 Dec: Rabbi Ahron Cohen travelled from Manchester to be a witness at Pete Gregson’s hearing. The GMB refused to wait 30 minutes to allow Rabbi Cohen to speak. Pete had given them the speech in written form, but the Rabbi deserved to be heard. So here he delivers his speech from the hotel steps, outside the hearing. To help get rid of the IHRA, ask your union branch to pass the model motion which can be downloaded at tinyurl.com/unionihra

POST of 7/12/18 Why Campaign for Palestine?

POST of 30/11/18 Sewage Sunday – protest at TUC HQ on 2nd Dec 2018 (and in the Weekly Worker letters)

Common Space 26/10/18 ; National 31/10/18 ;  National 9/11/18; National 14/11/18; National 20/12/18

Labour against the Witch-hunt came out in support of the campaigner on 13/11/18 with “LAW Statement: Lift suspension of Peter Gregson from GMB, stop investigation“

POST of 19/10/18 Letter from Lansman to little me

POST of 16/10/18 Petition reaches 500+Petitioners response to Allegations+Bronagh’s letter

POST of 29/10/18 IHRA Rogue’s Gallery

POST of 24/9/18 : Banner ban by Police at Labour Conference

STOP PRESS 4/9/18 ! Full IHRA adopted. NEC caves into Zionist pressure and it is now deemed anti-Semitic to say Israel is a racist state. For full freedom of speech, please challenge Labour NEC to expel you for saying Israel is a racist endeavour, by signing this petition and sharing or telling friends to go to tinyurl.com/IsraelIHRA and -if you want to download a flyer and print it off to hand to Labour Party members to promote the petition, click here

PETITION TO THE NEC OVER THEIR ADOPTION OF THE IHRA DEF’N ON 4TH SEPT 2018

The petition is addressed to Wendy Nichols, NEC Chair; Jeremy Corbyn, Tom Watson and John McDonnell and says  “I am a Labour Party member and I believe Israel to be a racist endeavour. I say to Labour’s National Executive Committee that I am not anti-Jewish. I challenge you to expel me from the Party if you believe that, according to the IHRA definition you adopted on the 4th Sept, I am anti-Semitic. If you will not, I expect you to return Labour to it’s previous position, which allowed full freedom of speech on Israel.No other political party in the world has been forced to adopt the IHRA.

I believe that of 550,000 members, the fact that only 45 alleged cases are active in the LBC leaked dossier shows there is no particular problem with anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Adopting the full IHRA will multiply the number of these cases many times over; the Zionist Jewish Labour Movement will target the NEC as being “soft on anti-Semitism” should you refuse. Please keep the Labour Party unified and abandon the added examples that stifle me from expressing my view on the racist nature of Israel.

My name is below.”

ALSO SEE: My article of 12th Sept on the fallout in the UK Labour Party after the vote adopting the full IHRA definition of antisemitism, considering why Labour cannot put this matter to bed “Why let Netanyahu write the Labour rulebook?” I have written up notes on the Labour Rulebook and what our defence should be if challenged for having signed the petition. View it here.

The NEC candidate’s views

Before the recent elections, Pete Gregson’s been speaking to NEC members in favour of the full IHRA.

[A shorter version of this page was published in Mondoweiss on 31/8/18] [STOP PRESS 4/9/18 the NEC will decide today: it has been described in one Labour newsletter as a head-to head between JC and Jon Lansman of Momentum . But two of the Momentum slate, Rachel Garnham and Darren Williams told me they oppose the full IHRA. Ann Henderson was (as usual on most things I ask her) undecided. The other 4 didn’t reply to my query. Peter Willsman opposes the full one]

I wrote to all 26 NEC candidates to seek their views. Of the 16 that came back, 7 were for the full IHRA, 7 were for no change and 2 were unsure. Of those in favour, I posed the question “If it’s passed and I said Israel is a racist state, would I get expelled?”

The first respondent, Cate Vallis (National Policy Forum Scottish candidate), said she found the view that Israel was a racist state “offensive”. I said anti-Semitism in the Party was no worse than anywhere else; it had been manufactured to beat JC. I said that expulsions of folk like me is probably what Netanyahu wants, that he’d be happy if the British Labour Party imploded; he knows that if JC got into power, the UK would no longer let him get away with doing as he pleases. Again “offensive”.

She went onto say “There have been countless complaints from Jewish members that they feel unsafe in the party, that their points haven’t been taken seriously and that the leadership haven’t stood up for them… To be truly the party of equality, we must take the concerns of Jewish members seriously and address them”

But are those concerns about actual anti-Semitism, which is hostility to or prejudice against Jews, or anti-Zionism, which is different? Making it more complex,  purist jews point out that Zionism and Judaism are opposites.

And this anti-semitism aggro against Labour leaders is not new. Ed got it too. See How Ed Milliband Lost the Jewish Vote – 20 April 2015. Recently Labour MP Frank Field resign the whip in late August, claiming anti-Semitism at the top.

[In 2008 Field called for tight restrictions on the number of refugees from oppression who are allowed to settle in Britain. Yet he complains about anti-semitism? He would not have let Jews into the UK in the first place. And he knows he’s on the way out; he did not resign over AS. He resigned cause his local party was about to deselect him for voting with Tories on Brexit and saving the Tory government from collapse. He just couldn’t say that..]

Just to remind ourselves about what the September NEC vote on the IHRA was about: the four examples omitted in July were incorporated into the Party’s definition of anti-Semitism – and relate to: 1) Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel; 2) Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis; 3) Applying double standards to Israel by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation; and 4) Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour.

I think many of us in the Labour Party are beginning to think adopting point 4 was the big problem, for those articulating that “the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour” would be liable for expulsion, on the grounds that they were anti-Semitic.

So why would I say such a contentious thing? Because many Israeli laws explicitly or implicitly discriminate on the basis or creed or race, in effect privileging Jewish citizens and disadvantaging non-Jewish, and particularly Arab, citizens of the state. These include the Law of Return, laws making military conscription mandatory for certain religions only, the Ban on Family Unification, and many laws regarding security, land and planning, citizenship, political representation in the Knesset, education and culture. The Adalah database of 50 discriminatory laws in Israel details them all. And in July the Jewish nation law defined Israel as the national home of Jewish people and downgraded Arabic from an official language, leaving Hebrew as the sole national language.

If the Jewish right to self-determination means riding roughshod over the rights of others, then for the Labour Party to ignore this social injustice would be for it to go against one of its founding planks.

If Arabs are second-class citizens, and not equal with Jews before the law, then clearly Israel is a racist state. The country was established on the land of 750,000 Palestinians forcibly expelled in 1948 and founded on discrimination towards Arab people on the basis of religion and ethnicity. If that’s not a racist endeavour, I don’t know what is. Clearly Israel now has a right to exist, but it needs to make payments or accommodations with the Arabs who were driven from their homes, amend the unfair laws, give Arabic the same status as Hebrew, and stop building illegal settlements and bulldozing Arab homes. (It engages in ethnic cleansing with impunity. Haaretz notes vigilantes attack Arabs in the street and the Government, bar one man, stays quiet)

And it needs to either give Palestinians a vote in the Knesset or accept that Gaza and the West Bank are not part of Israel and allow them to be truly independent. Until it does those things, it is a racist state.

An NEC candidate in support of the full IHRA, Mary Wimbury, said “uniquely denying the Jewish people a right to self-determination is problematic”. But are Jewish people the only ones who have such rights in Israel? What about the Arabs they displaced? Why should the Jews there have a greater right than they do? Is it because they suffered in the holocaust? Because two wrongs don’t make a right.

And who would want to be an Arab living in Israel? But if I were a Jew, it would be a warm welcome for me, should I choose to go there.

Another NEC candidate, Luke Akehurst, said he wanted the full IHRA, because if he did not get it, then he would have to agree that the concept of Israel is racist – and that it would mean that:

– he was a racist, as he was a Zionist and ran a Zionist organisation as his day job, and hence should be expelled

– the 93% of British Jews who identify with Israel are all racists and ineligible to be involved in the Labour Party

– the Jewish Labour Movement would be ineligible for affiliation to Labour after 100 years

– Zionists like Nye Bevan and Harold Wilson would retrospectively be judged to be racists

I pointed out that there was absolutely no reason he would be at risk of expulsion for omitting the 4 examples. It may make him feel uncomfortable, of course, to have to sit at meetings with those that say the apartheid that exists in Israel is driven by misguided Zionism, but that is not the same as being himself ejected for being a Zionist.

By thinking in this way, Luke conflated Labour continuing to leave out the 4 examples with the misunderstanding that by so doing, the Party will be declaring that Israel is a racist state – which is plainly not the case. Leaving out those 4 examples would just have meant that others who feel as I do won’t be expelled for saying the State of Israel is a racist endeavour.

And Israel could shake off such a mantle, by ceasing its racist programme of inequality before the law for those who are not Jews, by making recompense to those it has maligned, and by either giving Palestinians the vote or withdrawing from their territories.

Another problem I see with the examples Luke gave was number 3 – that it would be anti-Semitic to “apply double standards to Israel by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation”. But Israel is not really a democracy, as you will see if you read on.

Why do I care? From my time in Africa in the late 70s, where tales of Arab ill-treatment at and within Israel’s borders rankled the people of Sudan and Egypt, I first became aware of how difficult it must be to be an Arab in Israel. Even then, there were first and second-class citizens, with Jews getting preferential treatment before the law as a matter of routine. Arab treatment has only gotten worse in the 40 years since then, as the frustration of the Palestinians over their treatment has erupted into angry protest, only to be met with deadly force – thereby fuelling ever greater violence. There is a severe imbalance of power and some Palestinians feel they have so little to lose that throwing themselves into the gunfire of the Israel Defence Force is worth it, as the 166 who’ve died since March show. The rise of Hamas is the direct result of Israeli oppression.

Back in the 70s and 80s, the PLO, like the ANC, resorted to violent measures in an attempt to draw the world’s attention to injustices being perpetrated on their people. Terrorists or freedom fighters? The bombing of the St David hotel by Zionists in 1946 that killed 91 people is not seen by Israel as a terrorist act, though it is no different from any other they decry. The forcible expulsion of the Arabs in 1948 led to the creation of the state of Israel. Most of the world accepted this, since so many felt collective guilt over the holocaust, and since it wasn’t Europeans these Jews were displacing, but Arabs [and nobody in Europe or the US really bothered too much about them] the world looked the other way. And Israel was never going to be satisfied with the land ceded to it in 1949 following the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. Since then, through war, they have taken more and more Arab land.

So now we have a situation where those driven from their homes in 1948 live, with their descendants, in towns and regions that are no different to open-air prisons, where they must succumb to Israeli rule – and, like prisoners here – do not get to vote over who rules them. Israel calls itself it is a democracy, but then so did the Republic of South Africa.

But Israel is not really a democracy, for Palestinians living in Israel (which Israel says includes Gaza and the West Bank) do not get to vote for the Government that controls them. As Haaretz noted, the number of Arabs in Israel (including the occupied areas) will exceed that of Jews by 2020. If it were a true democracy, the country would shortly be ruled by Arabs, a prospect so terrifying to Jewish leaders that they can only maintain their control through denying the 4.4 million Arabs living in Gaza and the West Bank the right to vote in national elections.

A Zionist is a person who believes in the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel. The problem here is that the development is generally at the expense of those who are not Jews. And there are many extreme Zionists who would drive the Arabs into the sea, if they could. That being impossible, they must enclose them in a regional prison, and use the argument of self-defence to drop many large bombs when the inmates protest violently with tiny rockets. Punitive demolitions fall on the family of any angry teen who kills an Israeli.

By  omitting the IHRA example the Labour Party is not saying that Israel is a racist endeavour. It is simply allowing party members to express that view, should they wish to do so.

And contrary to Luke’s view, omitting the IHRA example would not mean the Jewish Labour Movement (or JLM) would be ineligible for affiliation to Labour. Although they are Zionists, they would not be excluded – but they may fear criticism for their unstinting support for Israel, something that would be painful for them. But their views and methods deserve to be challenged, if they are racists (in that they believe Jews should have more rights than Arabs).

The JLM were working to nobble NEC candidates and convinced a few to vote their way. Interestingly, the JLM is affiliated to the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Zionist Federation of the UK and organise within the World Zionist Organisation alongside their sister party in Israel, Havodah – the Israeli Labor Party. They pledge to promote self-determination of the Jewish people within Israel. But as affiliates, they surely support Labour’s core commitment to social justice. So how does that square with Zionism, a movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel? Do they support giving Palestinians living in Gaza (and therefore in Israel) the vote? If not, and they support the two-state solution, why aren’t they campaigning for Israel to enable that?

If they do neither, they are racists, because they support discrimination against those of a different race, of denying them basic democratic rights. Amazingly, one black NEC candidate, Marianna Masters, told me that “I have been very open in my support of the NEC adopting the full IHRA definition of antisemitism! As a black woman, I would be insulted if the definition of racism was messed around with to suit any agenda!” so clearly the JLM are masters of doublethink, having convinced a black candidate that Israel should not be criticised as an apartheid state. Just in case she started wavering, they’ve published her view on a certificate, printed below.

EI reported on 24th Aug that that an Israeli lawyer has lodged an FOI request to Netanyahu’s government – under Israeli law – seeking documents about the state’s ongoing disinformation campaign against JC, which utlilises Israel’s front groups in the UK, such as the JLM. The campaign for the full IHRA is part of this.

The UK government has “adopted” the full IHRA and  as reported in the Guardian, in Feb 2017,  the government minister Jo Johnson wrote to Universities asking for this definition to be disseminated throughout the system. His letter specifically mentions Israeli Apartheid Week (a worldwide annual activity  since 2005) as a cause for concern. The University of Central Lancashire immediately banned a meeting that was to be addressed by journalist Ben White as well as by academics. The university statement asserted that the meeting on “Debunking misconceptions on Palestine” contravened the definition of antisemitism recently adopted by the government, and would therefore not be lawful. [The UK Gov’s enthusiasm for the IHRA might just stem from the fact that “according to a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary 80% of its MPs are tied to the Likud-associated Conservative Friends of Israel; only last November was Priti Patel ousted from Theresa May’s cabinet for failing to declare meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu and lobbyists.”]

The Labour MPs voted on the full IHRA themselves on 5th Sept. After asking all Labour MPs not to adopt it, Mr Gregson had one MP’s reply, which he believes to be typical. “Every other institution in the U.K. from the police and schools to universities and courts use the IHRA definition. For the Labour Party not to, sets us apart from the entire country and the stories that have come out since, show that the leadership has some anti-Semitism on them. That’s not right for a party and persons that want to lead the country.”

I pointed out that it’s astonishing that Labour is letting Party policy be dictated by May’s Government. Israel is pulling every UK politicians’ strings, as Al Jazeera’s undercover investigation “The Lobby” shows.

And Luke’s statement that not adopting the full IHRA would mean that “93% of British Jews who identify with Israel are all racists and ineligible to be involved in the Labour Party” really makes no sense. There is nothing in the clause being omitted that makes those Jews who identify with Israel racists. However, if they turn a blind eye of the unequal treatment of Arabs in Israel, then prospective Jewish Labourists should have been asking themselves how they reconciled their views with the aims of the Labour Party, whose platform emphasises greater state intervention, social justice and the strengthening of workers’ rights.

What did the Momentum rep on the NEC, Jon Lansman, say? “I did argue at the start that it would have been politic to have included the IHRA definition together with its examples in the document before continuing as now. I think it likely that we will consider that again following the NEC’s unanimous agreement to reopen discussion about the code in order to better reflect Jewish community concerns.” Looks like he’s taken the bait, too.

Cate Vallis had complained of “countless” complaints from Jewish members feeling unsafe in the party. I’m surprised they feel unsafe, because I don’t know of anybody attacking them for being Jewish, though they may be getting criticised over their support for Israel. And if they feel they’re on the defensive over that, then maybe that’s necessary, because they’re trying to defend the indefensible.

So to conclude: Israel is, for the present, a racist endeavour. The full IHRA says I am being anti-Semitic for pointing this out.

And this is why I am so fearful that the IHRA was adopted in full, because it is likely be used to silence those who criticize Zionism, leading to never-ending witch-hunts as well as ongoing self-censorship, on dealing with what are the roots of the Israel/Palestine problem. And it is a problem that fuels Arab anger and terrorist attacks around the world, something that concerns us all- and something that most urgently needs to be addressed. And the longer that Labour battles itself over this, the harder it will be to realise its manifesto and change the UK for good.

PS – Readers might be wondering how things went in the September vote. Of the existing NEC members, I had but 5 replies: 4 for no change and Jon Lansman for the full one. Given that the big unions (Unison, GMB, USDAW) want the full IHRA, it was be up to smaller unions and the MPs to shape the outcome. It was not to my favour, so, after 30 years activism, I fear I better start packing my bags. Party members who wanted to keep me in Labour should have voted for Peter Willsman, Stephen Guy, James Craigie, Gary Spedding and Darren Williams [and – late addition, Rachel Garnham].

“Israel, Zionism and Jew are wove into cloth such that criticism of Israel or Zionism is transmogrified into criticism of Jews and magically becomes anti-Semitic.”
               –  Glyn Secker, Jewish Voice for Labour

RECENT UPDATES

And how many others could be expelled, like me? 100? 500?. I reckon many of the 150,000 of Labour’s 552,000 members who joined since JC was elected will share his views. If you want to see more of my reasoning,  and why Pete Willsman of the NEC is an example of an early witch-hunt, click here

Over 30 Jewish organisations world-wide say NO to the full IHRA. See Jewish Voice for Peace. Also Jewish Voice for Peace Board of Trustees Responds to Attacks on Jeremy Corbyn and Labour Party

In this Doughty St Chambers article of 31/8/18, “IHRA definition of antisemitism is not fit for purpose” Geoffrey Robertson QC concludes that the IHRA adopted by the UK government was not intended to be binding and was not drafted as a comprehensible definition.

Zionist Kenneth S. Stern, thinks the IRHA declaration is being used to stifle free speech. Who he? He drafted it in its original form. “Why the man who drafted the IHRA definition condemns its use”

A UN Report in 2017 said “Israel was a ‘racist state’ and ‘apartheid regime’”

See, by Jewish Voice for Peace, “Israel & Palestine – a very short introduction” a short, historically accurate video that busts through the right-wing propaganda, and explains what’s really going on in the Middle East; this video is just 6.5 mins, but very powerful.

In Guardian of 2nd Sept: “As Palestinian Arab MPs in Israel, we salute Corbyn as a champion of peace and justice“.
These MPs set out existing inequalities, fears for future and can see the full IHRA would set huge challenges for JC supporters and obtaining a lasting peace.

See Mr. Trump, you cannot erase the Palestinian refugees in Mondoweiss 1/9/18, a brief look at the historical evidence of Israel’s ethnic cleansing in 1948.

What is Israel’s attititude to indigenous Arabs? Newsgrid 25/01/17 Expelling Israel’s Arab Population?

See TRT World’s video on new nation state law Apartheid Israel

Skwawkbox refers to the statement protecting free speech on the full IHRA that the NEC may adopt as Code+; their article of the 4th Sept suggests that Corbyn’s caveat may yet be agreed at the next NEC meeting on the 18th Sept or the one following Conference (23-26th Sept). However, the caveat makes no attempt to challenge Israel’s claim to be a democratic state. The 205 Labour MPs who passed the full IHRA without caveats on the 5th Sept (there are only 257 in all, and only 8 voted against) will not accept Corbyn’s caveat without a fight. Another perspective on Code+ comes from Tony Greenstein’s blog here

Jewish Voice for Labour take a more extreme view in condemning the IHRA. Just before the 4th Sept NEC meeting, they said “no definition ever saved a Jew from experiencing antisemitism. It’s time to abandon this tainted and deeply flawed text” . It notes “As Neve Gordon writes: ‘The Israeli government needs the “new anti-Semitism” to justify its actions and to protect it from international and domestic condemnation. Anti-Semitism is effectively weaponised, not only to stifle speech . . . but also to suppress a politics of liberation.’ ”

“As for what adoption meant: Only 6 of 31 governments whose countries are members of IHRA have  formally endorsed/adopted the definition, and it’s not clear whether they adopted the examples or not.

However, we do know that:

• – the UK Government adopted the definition but not the list of examples;

• – the LSE adopted the IHRA definition but clarified that it ‘does not accept . . . all the examples’;

• – the European Parliament adopted the definition without the examples in June 2017″

The IHRA itself gives its definition of what constitutes anti-Semitism on their website here

Labour Briefing- August 19th indicates which unions back the IHRA, etc
IHRA statement: Retreating now will only make things worse

Labour Briefing – Memories of a Jewish childhood – August 4th by Graham Bash “As the joint statement of the three Jewish newspapers attacking Jeremy Corbyn makes clear, if the IHRA definition were to be passed in full, hundreds if not thousands of Labour Party members would be expelled.”

See Jonathan Cook’s blog of 25th August “Is Israel’s hand behind the attacks on Jeremy Corbyn?” Israeli group submits freedom of information request as evidence grows of meddling by Netanyahu government in UK politics. JLM and LFoI are complicit.

On the 28th August OpenDemocracy UK gave Palestinians their space to comment on Labour and the IHRA. “Labour must reject biased IHRA definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights“. They say of the IHRA ” ‘This non-legally binding definition attempts to erase Palestinian history, demonise solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality, suppress freedom of expression, and shield Israel’s far-right regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid from effective measures of accountability in accordance to international law.’ .. These words could easily have their authors condemned as antisemites according to the IHRA working definition.

Also see Labour Against the Witch-hunt post of 5th Sept “Statement on the September 4 decision to adopt the full IHRA” which calls Labour to reject the whole IHRA working definition

Skwawkbox refers to the statement protecting free speech on the full IHRA that the NEC may adopt as Code+; their article of the 4th Sept suggests that Corbyn’s caveat may yet be agreed at the next NEC meeting on the 18th Sept or the one following Conference (23-26th Sept). However, the caveat makes no attempt to challenge Israel’s claim to be a democratic state. And note – the 205 Labour MPs who passed the full IHRA without caveats on the 5th Sept (there are only 257 in all, and only 8 voted against) will not accept Corbyn’s caveat without a fight. There is a completely different take on the document, with the final statement highlighted,  by Tony Greenstein

This video interview with George Galloway and Tony Greenstein, outlines what’s been going on in Labour with expulsions and this piece in EI documents Tony’s expulsion from Labour

“Labour Against the Witch hunt (LAW)” revealed that John McDonnell stated in a recent interview with Jewish News “What we’re saying is it’s anti-Semitic to oppose a Jewish state”. This is now Labour policy, coming as it does from the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Chair of the Labour Representation Committee. As LAW says “Opposing a state that systematically, and constitutionally, marginalises and demonises Palestinians while subjecting them to discrimination is by definition a form of apartheid. It is not anti-Semitism to state this fact.” The article shows the hand the Jewish Labour Movement (a zionist body affiliated to Labour) is playing in leading the witch-hunt that is developing in the Labour Party. Another gang, “Labour Against Anti-Semitism“, which exists only as a Facebook group, is proud of having tried to shop 1,200 Labour Party members to Jennie Formby for “anti-Semitism” (ie criticism of Israel).

In a chilling foretelling of how freedom of speech in Labour is to be acted upon, Jennie Formby, General Secretary of the Labour Party, has written to all Facebook admins for pages with “Labour” or “Corbyn” in their titles asking them to inform her of any posts that might be deemed “anti-Semitic”. The action calls to mind Bentham’s Panopticon : although it is physically impossible for the single watchman to observe all the inmates’ cells at once, the fact that the inmates cannot know when they are being watched means that they are motivated to act as though they are being watched at all times. Thus, they are effectively compelled to regulate their own behaviour.

In response, LAW have invited those same admins to sign an open letter to Ms Formby informing her they will not be informers. The response can be seen here – as of 14/9/18 there have been 318 signatures.

Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro on Israel’s Nation State Law “Israel is not the nation state of the Jewish people; it is the nation state of the Israeli people”

On 14th Sept, union leader Mark Serwotka, (PCS general secretary), and now TUC president, suggested at a TUC event that Israel had created the anti-Semitism row to hide what he called its own “atrocities”. He had clearly hit a raw nerve, as the usual suspects Labour Against Anti-Semitism, Matt Zarb-Cousin and the Board of Deputies of British Jews piled in to condemn him and demand he apologise and grovel forthwith.

Read “Conflating Anti-Zionism with Anti-Semitism a Dangerous and Useful Ploy for Zionists” by Miko Peled, a Jew from Jerusalem, on MPN News, published 13/9/18

It’s not just happening in the UK; on 15th Sept Skwawkbox exposed that former Trump campaign head Paul Manafort worked with Israel to ‘concoct’ antisemitism smear against opposition leader

Middle East Monitor reports 15th Sept that “Israel minister hints at US resettlement plan for Palestine refugees”. Israeli Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on Tuesday hinted that US President Donald Trump plans to resettle Palestine refugees in Arab states, Arab48 reported.

If you want to understand more about the roots and rumours around real anti-Semitism, take a look at Eleanor Penny’s video blog on the subject. Ms Penny, a London Jewish woman, has been reported to the Party for anti-Semitism for this video and is understandably upset and confused by the slur.

Tony Lerman argues in Free Speech on Israel of 6/9/18 that Labour should ditch the IHRA working definition of antisemitism altogether because it does more harm than good.

On 17th Sept, Skwawkbox published an orthodox activist’s statement to Jewish Chronicle, in which he attacks the ‘zionist agenda’ behind the ‘smear and witch-hunt’ against Jeremy Corbyn. The Chronicle has not published his letter, but Skwawkbox has; here it is. This activist, Shraga Stern is a prominent Charedi (Orthodox) Stamford Hill Jew and was one of the organisers of a letter from twenty-nine leading Orthodox rabbis in support of Corbyn. The Jewish Chronicle and other outlets immediately claimed the letter was a fake. The letter was authentic. Here it is:

Orthodox rabbis’ statement in support of Jeremy Corbyn

10/09/2018 · by SKWAWKBOX · in Uncategorized. ·

Despite its self-description as a “non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism”, the IHRA definition seems likely to come before the courts in one of the British jurisdictions sooner rather than later. The reasoned legal opinion of Hugh Tomlinson QC, one of the leading experts on media and freedom of expression law, is worth reading, if only to be prepared…. “IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION AND POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE ALLIANCE WORKING DEFINITION OF ANTI-SEMITISM”
Geoffrey Robinson QC’s more recent, legal opinion reaches a similar conclusion to Tomlinson but with references to “Labour anti-Semitism-Gate” and some useful background to the IHRA’s definition. “ANTI-SEMITISM: THE IHRA DEFINITION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION”

“Leave no one alive – senior rabbi calls for execution of all palestinians” (2016 news article from Israel)

The Campaign for Socialism in Scotland is linked to Momentum but operates independently. Just as well, as it embarks on a witch-hunting project all of its own…
The author, Chris Cassells, is a member of Glasgow Southside CLP and the Campaign for Socialism. Sandy McBurney and Colin Deans. Their crime? Sharing an article in the CfS members Facebook group authored by the Jewish left-wing antizionist writer Robert Cohen titled The Jewish establishment’s ‘War Against Corbyn’ risks bringing real antisemitism to Britain Read about their persecution here in this JVL posting.

See Tony Greenstein blog on 8/10/18 Hundreds of Israelis Demonstrated in Afula Against the Sale of a House to an Arab: This is why Israeli Apartheid is Unique and why John McDonnell’s defence of Zionism and the Israeli state was so wrong

See Tony’s blog of 9/10/18 Why are the Officers and Employees of Civil Liberties Group Liberty Refusing to Implement its Policy of Opposition to the IHRA?

See LAW post of 10/10/18 “Do not cooperate with the ‘Antisemitism Monitoring Centre’!“. I have written to all 39 NEC members alerting them to the fact the JLM seek to help in the Labour Party witch-hunt by getting CLP Secretaries to make members report on comrades they deem “anti-Semites”.

Al Jazeera made this excellent programme about whether a two state solution would work and about how Labour Friends of Israel’s Joan Ryan concocts anyone who argues with her about Israel into an “anti-Semite”; Chukka Umma and Angela Eagle MPs are clearly on her side. Anyone who makes an LFoI rep feels uncomfortable in now an anti-Semite.

The Monitoring Group is one of the leading organisations in the UK specialising in supporting families and comunities experiencing state neglect, racism and marginalisation. It is best known for its public interest campaigns in the UK on cases such as Blair Peach, Kuldip Sekhon, Stephen Lawrence, Ricky Reel, Michael Menson, Zahid Mubarek, Victoria Climbie, Amarjit Chohan family and international campaigns for victims of the Bhoppal Gas Disaster (1984) and Gujarat genocide (2002) and the Indian Community in Malaysia.
Their statement on the IHRA was signed by over 100 organisations and they sent a delegation to meet senior members of the Labour Party to convince them of their anti-IHRA position. It’s an excellent statement.

Three Israeli teenagers suffered such misery on finding their tickets cancelled that the Israelis decided to sue “New Zealand BDS activists reject Israeli fine over Lorde’s cancellation”

Hugh Tomlison QC has written this paper on the subject of the definition of the IHRA. Read it on the Free Speech on Israel website

THE SHAMI CHAKRABARTI INQUIRY of 30th June 2016 is worth a look. It begins: “The Labour Party is not overrun by antisemitism, Islamophobia or other forms of racism..”

At the Scottish Parliament on the 12th October, Margaret Hodge and Ken McIntosh discussed Hodge’s “experience of antisemitism both inside and outside of the Labour Party”. Mick Napier of SPSC penned this excellent piece for her visit “Hodge & McIntosh: false allegations of anti-semitism” and welcomed her guests at the Parly:

“Brighton and Hove Council Ignores Black and Anti-racist Organisations and Votes To Adopt a Definition of Antisemitism that is both Racist and Antisemitic” It’s the IHRA again. See Tony’s excellent blog of 19th Oct 2018 where he debunks Sussex Friends of Israel’s Fiona Sharpe’s main argument “that the Jewish community was entitled to ‘self define’ anti-Semitism and that it had chosen the IHRA.”

Now, this is a scandal. We should be attacking the SNP over this.
“Revealed: Swinney shuts down Israel-Palestine school resources after lobbying pressure”

So here you have it – released on 18/10/18: the uber-mensch and the unter-mensch explained. Know your Stuff: Israel’s “Jewish Nation-State Law” Explained – an illuminating 23 minute video by Dr. Shir Hever

7th Jan 2017- The Guardian publishes “Israeli diplomat caught on camera plotting to ‘take down‘ UK MPs” as the Lobby revelations take hold. Teresa May’s Government accepts Israel’s apology and considers the matter closed. Labour do not.

Norman Finkelstein says in his blog of 28th August 2018  WHY THE BRITISH LABOUR PARTY SHOULD NOT ADOPT THE IHRA DEFINITION OR ANY OTHER DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM  “Even as the revised code of conduct explicitly outlaws antisemitism, representatives of British Jewry have issued an ultimatum to Labour: it must also incorporate the IHRA definition of antisemitism in all its parts—or else! It is, to begin with, unclear why Jews warrant special treatment. Indeed, of all the protected categories in the rule, British Jews are the richest, best organized, most strategically placed, and least subject to “hostility and prejudice.” If Jewish communal organizations can so openly, brazenly, and relentlessly press this demand on Labour, it’s because of the political muscle they can flex and the political immunity they enjoy. Further, the demand is on the unseemly side, as it implies that Jewish lives are somehow more worthy. It recalls the nauseating ethnic chauvinism at play in the stipulation that The Holocaust must be separated out from run-of-the-mill “other genocides.””

24 Palestinian trade unions issued an open letter to Labour on the 28^th of August this year, just before the unions pushed for the full IHRA at Labour’s NEC meeting on the 4^th Sept. It is headed “Labour must reject biased IHRA definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights” and is an appeal by Palestinian civil society to the British Labour Party and affiliated trade unions. I was very saddened at the time that unions (including my own) had ignored this appeal. You can read it at here. These trade unions correctly observe that the IHRA is a “politicised and fraudulent definition of antisemitism”.

THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD
“American citizens are set to be fined up to $1 million or imprisoned for up to 20 years for criticizing Israel or supporting the BDS boycott, thanks to new legislation sponsored by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Anyone guilty of violating the new prohibitions will face a minimum civil penalty of $250,000 and a maximum criminal penalty of $1 million and 20 years in prison under the new law.

According to the ACLU, the Cardin legislation would “bar U.S. persons from supporting boycotts against Israel, including its settlements in the Palestinian Occupied Territories conducted by international governmental organizations, such as the United Nations and the European Union. It would also… include penalties for simply requesting information about such boycotts. Violations would be subject to a minimum civil penalty of $250,000 and a maximum criminal penalty of $1 million and 20 years in prison….This bill would impose civil and criminal punishment on individuals solely because of their political beliefs about Israel and its policies.”  Your News Wire 3/11/18

A new post British Quakers divest, Jewish leaders discredit and smear… – https://www.jewishvoiceforlabour.org.uk/blog/british-quakers-divest-jewish-leaders-discredit-and-smear/ has been published on 25th November 2018 at 5:02 pm

As the Quakers become the first Christian denomination in the U.K. to adopt a responsible investment policy towards the Israeli Occupation of Palestinian land the Board of Deputies of British Jews jumps to the defence of the expansionist Israeli state. Robert A.H.Cohen, writing from the edge as usual, elaborates. As British Quakers divest from the Occupation, Jewish leaders seek to discredit and smear them 25 November 2018

“This racist new law makes me ashamed to be Israeli”. Great Guardian opinion piece on why the race law conflicts with Israel’s founding statement. Back in 1948, Israel’s declaration of independence said ” “The state of Israel will devote itself to the development of this country for the benefit of all its people; it will be founded on the principles of freedom, justice and peace, guided by the visions of the prophets of Israel; it will grant full equal, social and political rights to all its citizens regardless of differences of religious faith, race or sex; it will ensure freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture.” [That didn’t last long…! And coming after the Nakba it was always going to be a pretty vacuous statement] Daniel Barenboim, July 2018

Thr Richie Allen radio show has frequently openly supported Palestine. This independent on-line radio show broadcast every day from 5pm to 7pm in Manchester has featured Ahron Cohen from the Neturei Karta a few times. On Thursday March 7th, it featured myself, Pete Gregson, on the radio show and I was given a whole 40 minutes to make my case. I had just opened my letter grom the GMB telling me my appeal had failed, so listeners were the first to know I was the first trade unionist in the UK to be expelled for criticising Israel. Hear the programme here; I am 20 minutes in.

FoI Marching with Anti-Racists is a contradiction in Terms Read “The Use and Abuse of Unity” by Richard Haley of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC) about the 2018 campaign to stop the Friends of Israel marching with the Israeli flag on the annual anti-racist march in Glasgow. Those who oppose SUTR on Zionism:
SUTR’s refusal to take a stand against COFIS led pro-Palestine organisations, including the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Scottish Friends of Palestine, the Glasgow Palestine Human Rights Campaign and the Association of Palestinian Communities – Scotland to refuse to participate in the Glasgow march. A number of other organisations, including the Muslim Council of Scotland, the Muslim Women’s Association of Edinburgh and the Communist Party of Britain refused to participate for the same reason.

In the end, activists from West Dunbartonshire Supports the People of Palestine put some distance, quite literally, between the march and COFIS. They created an “apartheid wall”, held COFIS behind it and inched their way slowly through the Glasgow streets behind the SUTR march. The march set off 15 minutes earlier than scheduled and pulled well clear of the embarrassment. It also pulled temporarily clear of some SUTR supporters, as the EIS-funded coach from Edinburgh hadn’t arrived when the march set off. Read more from Scottish Friends of Palestine, SACC on the Muslim Council, Muslim Women’s Association of Edinburgh, Morning Star Scotland.

The 2019 March also featured the FoI, albeit without the Israel flags. Kids not Suits joined together with 12 other bodies to set up the coalition ZIONISM IS RACISM and they opposed FoI by holding George Square on the 16th March, surrounded by what looked like 300 riot police and 4 cops on horses. The ZIR protest featured 100 people; the SUTR march featured 200, around 30 of whom were FoI. Please sign the Declaration from the Zionism is Racism coalition at www.tinyurl.com/zirsign and read more about the event at www.tinyurl.com/zirevent

 

Press coverage – see these films – Press TV  , with Robert Imlakesh and FRFI Glasgow on Youtube and Zen Politics with the Sunday Express of 17th March being in support of the FoI

The Jackie Walker film was released on 18th March- view it here on the Electronic Intifada website. Her Labour Party hearing is on 26th & 27th March.

Read “Jewish Labour Movement was refounded to fight Corbyn” by Asa Wistanley on 7th March 2019

“The Loss of Freedom of Speech on Israel, thanks to bogus anti-Semitism claims”

Keep Talking event 5th March 2019 with Pete Gregson in Kentish Town, London. View it at tinyurl.com/ihratalk

The IHRA Definition of anti-Semitism  has been adopted in the UK by the Government, by major political parties (Tories, Labour, Lib Dems, SNP), by the big trade unions (GMB, Unison, Unite, USDAW), by 30% of local authorities, the police, schools and colleges (through Gov advice) and other civic bodies.

At least 10 million UK citizens (members or employees) now face disciplinary action (expulsion or dismissal) from these bodies if they say Israel is a racist endeavour, that it exaggerates the holocaust, etc. [See the full definition at www.tinyurl.com/ihradef ]

At least two people have lost their local authority jobs and now fight through Employment Tribunals for justice. Pete Gregson is the first trade unionist to be expelled from his trade union, the GMB. He (along with hundreds of others) is under investigation by the Labour Party for anti-Semitism.

This video explains what it’s all about – and how Israel has rewritten so many rule-books – and now effectively controls UK politics.”

July 2018 The Irish Senate Passes Israeli Boycott Bill  see the film here

14 August 2019 – Responding to Labour’s statement “No Place for Antisemitism”, published by Liverpool Friends of Palestine; they, like many, find Labour’s statement untenable. How can one body be anti-Zionist and pro-Zionist at the same time? Read it here

August 2019- Chris Williamson, MP launches fundraising campaign for legal fund to challenge Labour decision to re-suspend him- he seeks £75,000 read it here

August 2019- launch of resource to show which UK politicians support Israel; read who they are here

Mehdi Hassan is very good in this iq squared debate: Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism (which of course it is not) from Jul 26, 2019

Labour Against Zionist Islamophobic Racism (LAZIR) are endorsing these CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR THE JEWISH LABOUR MOVEMENT at https://ymlp.com/zOf3MQ

“Labour Party a political home for Zionists” – it’s official  Redress Information & Analysis 29th July 2019 by Stuart Littlewood

Ashkenazi Claims to Palestine Debunked by DNA & True History  – video by Blackstone Intelligence Network; a Jewish journalist reports on the results of his 23andMe DNA/Genetic testing. He learns that he is 100% Jewish Ashkenazi. But the test also reveals that none of his ancestry is connected to the Jews of the Bible.

Labour & Palestine (launched in May 2019) Example Motion  This CLP resolves that the Labour Party should oppose any solution not based on international law that is imposed on Palestine and reject any trade agreement with Israel that fails to recognise Palestinian human rights.

Jonathan Cook: Jewish Labour Movement Was Revived To Deal With Corbyn– April 2019: excellent article

Zionists out to undermine Corbyn- interesting article by Labour Left Voice – August 2019:  Gnasher, Labour Against AS, Labour First & Saving Labour 2.0

Labour is about to walk into a trap that could destroy Jeremy Corbyn– how Labour was being led to adopt the IHRA -The Canary, 4th Sept 2018

The Labour Party, anti-Semitism and Zionism by John Newsinger Jan 2017

Why the Israeli State is Hitler’s Bastard Offspring– Tony Greenstein at PalExpo 2019

Why Israel is struggling to find a way out of its political deadlock by Jonathan Cook Oct 19- on Israel’s election results

The Biblical “Israel” is a Who, Not a “Where” – BibleOrTraditions– video on Biblical history- 10 mins

Nobel Prize winner calls for boycott of Israel 23 Sep 2019

Miko Peled in Hastings Oct 2019- 1hr 50min

Lies & Misreporting in the Middle East | Robert Fisk by MECA – March 2019 1hr 7 minutes: Award winning Robert Fisk breaks down the semantics, double-speak and propaganda of Middle East coverage.

Ben-Gurion and Massacre of Deir Yassin-The minutes of a meeting of the Jewish Agency Executive on 12 June 1938  records a chilling statement made by David Ben-Gurion: “I am for compulsory transfer; I do not see anything immoral in it”. Palestine Chronicle 2009

The Labour Party, anti-Semitism and Zionism by John Newsinger 2017

UK chief rabbi owes us Palestinians an apology by Electronic Intifada 2016

A survey of British Jews by City University London in 2015 shows deep disagreement on the term “Zionism”, with 41 % not taking up the political identifier “Zionist.” 31 % identified as anti-Zionist or non-Zionist, while 10 % said they were unsure. The survey also found that the number of British Jews who call themselves “Zionist” dropped from 72 % in 2010 to 59 % in 2015.

Lets Breach the IHRA- Illan Pappe 2.5mins, Middle East Monitor

A just future demands the decolonization of Palestine – and a democratic state for all – 972 Magazine 10th Dec 2019

A just future demands the decolonization of Palestine – and a democratic state for all– ICAHD, Dec 2019: Understanding the ‘conflict’ as a settler colonial struggle allows us to build a holistic path toward a liberated society for Palestinians and Israelis.