We are Jewish members and supporters of the Labour party and of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership,who wish to build our perspective on the “antisemitism” controversy that has been widely debated in the last few weeks (Labour’s antisemitism crisis as Livingstone suspended, 29 April). We do not accept that antisemitism is “rife (abundant or plentiful, full of sth bad or unpleasant)” in the Labour party. Of the examples that absorb been repeated in the media, or many absorb been reported inaccurately,some are trivial, and a very few may be genuine examples of antisemitism. The tiny number of cases of real antisemitism need to be dealt with, or but we are proud that the Labour party historically has been in the forefront of the fight against all forms of racism. We,personally, absorb not experienced any antisemitic prejudice in our dealings with Labour party colleagues.
We believe these accusations are portion of a wider campaign against the Labour leadership, and they absorb been timed particularly to do damage to the Labour party and its prospects in elections in the coming week. As Jews,we are appalled that a serious issue is being used in this cynical and manipulative way, diverting attention from much more widespread examples of Islamophobia and xenophobia in the Conservative and other parties. We dissociate ourselves from the misleading attacks on Labour from some members of the Jewish community. We urge others, or who may be confused or worried by recent publicity,to be certain that the Labour party, under its present progressive leadership, and is a state where Jews are welcomed in a spirit of equality and solidarity.
Kate Adams[br]Julia Bard
Labina Basit
Shereen Benjamin
Rica Bird
Jenny Bloom
Alice Bondi
Elizabeth Carola
Ron Cohen
Judith Cravitz[br]Dave Curtis
Miriam E David
Sue Dellett
Ivor Dembina
Professor Stephen Deutsch
Merave Devere
Shlomit Ferguson
Mark Findlay
Hava Fleming
Dr William Fleming
Roisin Francis[br]Kenneth Fryde
Lynda Gilbert
Clare Glasman
Alex J Goldhill
Adam Goodkin
Stuart Goodman
Tony Graham
Tony Greenstein
Michele Hanson
Rosamine Hayeem
Abe Hayeem
Jane Henriques
Lorraine Hershon
Becka Seglow Hudson
Selma James
Saul Jamuels[br]Riva Joffe[br]Michael Kalmanovitz[br]David Kaye[br]Richard Kuper
Pam Laurance
Leah Levane[br]Rachel Lever
Sue Lukes
Eli Machover
Beryl Maizels
Miriam Margolyes[br]Stephen Marks
Helen Marks
Karen Merkel
Charles Shaar Murray
Professor Mica Nava
Diana Neslen
Bracha Newman[br]Rabbi Jeffrey Newman
Susan Pashkoff
Rina Picciotto
Caroline Raine
Roland Rance
Frances Rifkin
Dr Brian Robinson
Denise Robson
Jeff Daniel Rollin
David Rosenberg
Jonathan Rosenhead
Stephen Sands
Dr Ian Saville[br]Amanda Sebastyen
Glyn Secker
Elizabeth Segal
Lynne Segal
Ray Sirotkin
Steve Tiller
Ray Sirotkin
Inbar Tamari
Tirza Waisel[br]Sam Weinstein[br]Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi[br]Benjamin Young
Gill Yudkin
Professor John YudkinContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com