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Introduction — May 1, 2016

Calls to confront alleged “anti-Semitism” in the official opposition Labour Party sound more like calls to carry out a purge. The objective is not to rid the party of “anti-Semitism”, as claimed, but to silence those who criticise Israel.
Just as it prepared public attitudes for the invasion of Iraq, with speculation about Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction, the media is leading the way in this campaign.
In this case the Telegraph is promoting the idea that “anti-Semitism” is rife within the Labour Party. The evidence is pretty thin however. It comes in the form of a dossier, which the Telegraph claims reveal:
— “A Labour Party member compared the ‘“terrorist state of Israel” to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).'”
Given that we know of the militant group’s links with Israel, which are hardly ever mentioned in the corporate media, that’s hardly evidence of “anti-Semitism”.
— “Mr Corbyn questioned why an anti-Semitic mural in east London should be taken down”
The Telegraph doesn’t feature the alleged “anti-Semitic” mural so how do we know it is actually “anti-Semitic”? Like claims about Saddam’s WMD are we just supposed to take the media’s word for it?
— “The Labour leader also attended events run by self-confessed Holocaust denier Paul Eisen long after his views had become clear”
We reserve judgement on Eisen’s views but the Telegraph makes a critical omission here. Apart from being a “Holocaust denier” Paul Eisen also happens to be Jewish. Yet this is supposedly evidence of “anti-Semitism”?
— Finally the Telegraph’s dossier claims to reveal that “A Labour council candidate used the derogatory term “Zios” to refer to Jews”
Actually this sounds more like an attempt to conflate opposition to Zionism with “anti-Semitism”. Just as the Telegraph cites the Labour leader’s attending events run by Paul Eisen as evidence of “anti-Semitism” — even though Eisen is Jewish himself.

Pressure grows on Jeremy Corbyn as dossier of anti-Semitism in Labour Party is revealed

Andrew Gilligan, Patrick Sawer, Tim Ross and Robert Mendick — The Telegraph.co.uk April 30, 2016

 Jeremy Corbyn leaving his house on Saturday Jeremy Corbyn has come under renewed pressure as new details emerged about Labour’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism in its ranks.

A dossier compiled by The Telegraph includes a series of disturbing examples of anti-Semitic attitudes among party activists and leading members.

It follows the suspension from the party last week of Ken Livingstone, the former Mayor of London, and of Naz Shah, Labour MP for Bradford West, for making anti-Semitic comments.

Labour has announced an independent inquiry into anti-Semitism and other forms of racism within the party.

But Mr Livingstone, who was suspended after saying that Hitler supported Zionism “before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews”, on Saturday refused to withdraw his statements and claimed the Israeli Prime Minister agreed with him

Our dossier reveals that:

  •  A London Labour council leader shared a Facebook post comparing the “terrorist state of Israel” to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil). He apologised and deleted it on Saturday;
  •  Mr Corbyn questioned why an anti-Semitic mural in east London should be taken down;
  • The Labour leader also attended events run by self-confessed Holocaust denier Paul Eisen long after his views had become clear, and
  • A Labour council candidate used the derogatory term “Zios” to refer to Jews.

Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council and “equalities lead” on the body representing 32 London boroughs, shared a post calling Israel a terrorist state and compared it to Isil, on April 16. It showed a Palestinian girl in a skirmish with an Israeli soldier.

The author of the post, Zain Khan, wrote: “Why doesn’t this video start an outrage within Western media? You show videos of the Isis hitting women for leaving home (which is also disgusting) but you don’t condemn the terrorist state of Israel… Israel is a terrorist state like Isis.”

 

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