JVL: a Vehicle to Normalise Antisemitism
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Second Generation Memories S It Passes Into Middle Age and 1946 Proved Traumatic
VOLUME 16 NO.6 JUNE 2016 journal The Association of Jewish Refugees Second generation memories s it passes into middle age and 1946 proved traumatic. Thereafter, however, Kahlenberg and the Leopoldsberg, to enjoy beyond, every generation looks they took annual holidays in Austrian resorts the spectacular views across Vienna and its back on its own stock of memories, like Kitzbühel and Pörtschach am Wörthersee, surroundings. I learnt that in 1683 the King Asometimes embellished, sometimes of Poland, Jan Sobieski, had launched his diminished, sometimes transmuted and even attack on the Turkish forces besieging Vienna falsified by the passage of time. In this respect, from the Kahlenberg and that much of the the memories of the second generation, the Höhenstraße had been built in the 1930s to children of the Jewish refugees who fled from provide work for the unemployed during the the Nazis, have arguably taken on a special Great Depression; both these topics came quality. Born and brought up in their parents’ across to me as almost equally remote historical countries of refuge – in the case of most of our episodes from a distant past. What relevance readers, Britain – many of them retain links could they have to an English schoolboy? through family memories to aspects of their Only many years later did I realise that I parents’ past in their native lands. had been shown nothing at all relating to our But the Nazi years and the Holocaust personal family history, apart from the family created a gulf between the post-war British firm. Not until I saw my father’s documents present and the pre-war Continental past. -
Antisemitism in the Radical Left and the British Labour Party, by Dave Rich
Kantor Center Position Papers Editor: Mikael Shainkman January 2018 ANTISEMITISM IN THE RADICAL LEFT AND THE BRITISH LABOUR PARTY Dave Rich* Executive Summary Antisemitism has become a national political issue and a headline story in Britain for the first time in decades because of ongoing problems in the Labour Party. Labour used to enjoy widespread Jewish support but increasing left wing hostility towards Israel and Zionism, and a failure to understand and properly oppose contemporary antisemitism, has placed increasing distance between the party and the UK Jewish community. This has emerged under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, a product of the radical 1960s New Left that sees Israel as an apartheid state created by colonialism, but it has been building on the fringes of the left for decades. Since Corbyn became party leader, numerous examples of antisemitic remarks made by Labour members, activists and elected officials have come to light. These remarks range from opposition to Israel’s existence or claims that Zionism collaborated with Nazism, to conspiracy theories about the Rothschilds or ISIS. The party has tried to tackle the problem of antisemitism through procedural means and generic declarations opposing antisemitism, but it appears incapable of addressing the political culture that produces this antisemitism: possibly because this radical political culture, borne of anti-war protests and allied to Islamist movements, is precisely where Jeremy Corbyn and his closest associates find their political home. A Crisis of Antisemitism Since early 2016, antisemitism has become a national political issue in Britain for the first time in decades. This hasn’t come about because of a surge in support for the far right, or jihadist terrorism against Jews. -
Labour, Antisemitism and the News – a Disinformation Paradigm
Labour, Antisemitism and the News A disinformation paradigm Dr Justin Schlosberg Laura Laker September 2018 2 Executive Summary • Over 250 articles and news segments from the largest UK news providers (online and television) were subjected to in-depth case study analysis involving both quantitative and qualitative methods • 29 examples of false statements or claims were identified, several of them made by anchors or correspondents themselves, six of them surfacing on BBC television news programmes, and eight on TheGuardian.com • A further 66 clear instances of misleading or distorted coverage including misquotations, reliance on single source accounts, omission of essential facts or right of reply, and repeated value-based assumptions made by broadcasters without evidence or qualification. In total, a quarter of the sample contained at least one documented inaccuracy or distortion. • Overwhelming source imbalance, especially on television news where voices critical of Labour’s code of conduct were regularly given an unchallenged and exclusive platform, outnumbering those defending Labour by nearly 4 to 1. Nearly half of Guardian reports on the controversy surrounding Labour’s code of conduct featured no quoted sources defending the party or leadership. The Media Reform Coalition has conducted in-depth research on the controversy surrounding antisemitism in the Labour Party, focusing on media coverage of the crisis during the summer of 2018. Following extensive case study research, we identified myriad inaccuracies and distortions in online and television news including marked skews in sourcing, omission of essential context or right of reply, misquotation, and false assertions made either by journalists themselves or sources whose contentious claims were neither challenged nor countered. -
The Labour Party
The Labour Party Head Office Southside, 105 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QT Labour Central, Kings Manor, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 6PA 0345 092 2299 | labour.org.uk/contact Dr Moshe Machover, zzzzzzzzzzzz BY EMAIL ONLY: [email protected] 30 November 2020 Ref: L1627330 Case No: CN-4925 Dear Dr Machover, Notice of administrative suspension from membership of the Labour Party Allegations that you may have been involved in a breach of Labour Party rules have been brought to the attention of national officers of the Party. These allegations relate to your conduct online and offline which may be in breach of Chapter 2, Clause I.8 of the Labour Party Rule Book. It is important that these allegations are investigated and the NEC will be asked to authorise a full report to be drawn up with recommendations for disciplinary action if appropriate. We write to give you formal notice that it has been determined that the powers given to the NEC under Chapter 6 Clause I.1.A* of the Party’s rules should be invoked to administratively suspend you from membership of the Labour Party, pending the outcome of an internal Party investigation. The administrative suspension means that you cannot attend any Party meetings including meetings of your own branch, constituency, or annual conference; and you cannot be considered for selection as a candidate to represent the Labour Party at an election at any level**. In view of the urgency to protect the Party’s reputation in the present situation the General Secretary has determined to use powers delegated to him under Chapter 1 Clause VIII.5 of the rules to impose this suspension forthwith, subject to the approval of the next meeting of the NEC. -
Bad News for Labour: Antisemitism, the Party and Public Belief
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Archived BBC Public Responses to Complaints 2020 BBC News, Royal
Archived BBC public responses to complaints 2020 BBC News, Royal Family coverage, January 2020 Summary of complaint We were contacted by viewers who were unhappy with the level of coverage given to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement that they will be 'stepping back' as senior royals. Our response In our editorial judgement, the announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex planned to quit their frontline roles was a major news story of great constitutional significance as well as widespread public interest. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a very high profile at home and abroad and their decision affects the entire Royal Family, as well as raising questions about the levels of public support they enjoy and their charitable roles too. We appreciate viewers may not agree with how this story was covered, but we also made space for other major stories, including developments in Iran and Australia, both of which we have given extensive airtime. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC World Service, Sinhala, January 2020 Summary of complaint We received a number of complaints about BBC Sinhala correspondent, Azzam Ameen, with concerns over his conduct during the Sri-Lankan presidential election. Our response Editorial impartiality is the foundation of the BBC’s global reputation as a trusted news source and this is something which cannot be compromised. The BBC has taken appropriate action as a result of this serious breach of its Editorial Guidelines. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question Time, BBC One, 16 January 2020 Summary of complaint We were contacted by viewers who were unhappy with the audience makeup of the programme. -
ANTISEMITIC MISCONDUCT Britain, 2017
Indirect discrimination could inadvertently occur, where actions have the effect of selectively disadvantaging Jewish people even though no hostile motive towards Jews is present. Once a case of such discrimination comes to light, those responsible should take all reasonable steps possible to eliminate the problem. Unwillingness to take such steps would be evidence of antisemitism. The systematic murder of millions of Jews (and so many others) during the second world war is exhaustively documented. It is therefore inconceivable that Holocaust denial or expressions of doubt over its scale could be Declaration on motivated by genuine investigatory scepticism. The implication of antisemitic intent is, for practical purposes, inescapable. What is - and what is not * See Institute of Jewish Policy Research report Antisemitism in Contemporary Great ANTISEMITIC MISCONDUCT Britain, 2017 7. Overview This document has been prepared by Jewish Voice for Labour and Free Speech on Israel as a contribution to the Labour Party’s consultation on its The understanding of antisemitism on which this analysis is based reaffirms Code of Conduct on Antisemitism. It also has a wider significance. the traditional meaning of the term. This is important in the light of attempts to extend its meaning to apply to criticisms often made of the state _____________ of Israel, or to non-violent campaigns such as BDS. A charge of antisemitism carries exceptional moral force because of the negative There has been extended controversy over the adoption by the Labour connotations rightly attaching to the term. It is illegitimate to make such Party of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) claims to discredit or deter criticism, or to achieve sectional advantage. -
Annual Report 1 August 2018–31 July 2019
Annual Report 1 August 2018–31 July 2019 RESEARCH EDUCATE ENGAGE Innovative | Interdisciplinary | Independent | Inclusive Annual Report 1 August 2018–31 July 2019 Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism Professor David Feldman, Director 19 November 2019 Contents Overview of the Year 3 Institute Staff 4 Research 5 Grant Income 5 Publications 5 Conference Papers 8 Pears Institute Workshops and Seminars 9 Visiting Fellows 11 Teaching 12 Policy Engagement 14 Connecting Research and Public Policy 14 Policy Advice 15 Public Engagement 16 Public Exhibition: Jews, Money, Myth 16 Public Events 17 Pears Institute in the Media 20 Opinion Pieces 21 Interviews 21 Appendix 23 Selected Publications and Activities of Associates 23 3 Overview of the Year This annual report presents the Institute’s key achievements in 2018/19 across four main areas of activity: research, teaching, public policy and public engagement. It highlights how these achievements contribute to the Institute’s strategic objective of reframing the understanding of antisemitism and seeking to connect the study of antisemitism and racialization, acting as a catalyst for change. Significant accomplishments this year include: • Mounting the award-winning exhibition Jews, Money, Myth with the Jewish Museum London • Publication of the edited volume of essays Boycotts Past and Present: From the American Revolution to the Campaign to Boycott Israel • The development of a new short course, ‘Facing Antisemitism: Politics, Culture and History’ • The Institute’s growing reputation in the public sphere as a measured and clear voice on antisemitism • Three successful grant applications for young scholars • Lecturer Brendan McGeever selected as BBC Radio 3/AHRC 2019 New Generation Thinker. -
ANDREW MARR SHOW 26TH JANUARY 2020 LEN Mccluskey
1 LEN McCLUSKEY ANDREW MARR SHOW 26TH JANUARY 2020 LEN McCLUSKEY AM: Len McCluskey joins me now. Welcome Mr McCluskey. LM: Good morning. AM: Immediately after that shattering election defeat I asked John McDonnell if he took personal responsibility for some of that. You were a great supporter of the previous Labour leadership, do you take some responsibility for the defeat? LM: Well, I think all of us have to take responsibility. The fact of the matter is that unfortunately Labour spent two years, 18 months sliding into being perceived as a remain party. Now, Jeremy Corbyn was under a lot of pressure from people saying he should do that He was under pressure from people like me saying there would be consequences in our heartlands if he did that. At the end of the day a policy was arrived at and we suffered the consequences of that. AM: But you were one of those calling for that election to go ahead. You said we would have to have a general election first, before Brexit was resolved. Tony Blair said that has been a huge elephant trap for the Labour Party and the Labour Party solemnly walked straight into the trap and fell over. LM: I think it was a trap, and to be honest I would have preferred to have had Brexit resolved much earlier. In my opinion Theresa May’s Brexit probably provided enough issues to try and reach a view and try and reach a compromise. The fact of the matter was once the SNP and the Liberal Democrats had made it clear that they were going to support the government, then Labour was committed to a general election. -
Annual Report & Accounts 2008-09
BRITISH SHALOM- SALAAM TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2008-9 for the year ending 28 February 2009 1 While this year saw BSST continue in our wide ranging grant giving activity to education, health, social care, inter-communal and peace building projects in Palestine and Israel, inevitably our work was overshadowed by the immense humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by the Israeli bombardment which began at the end of December 2008 Our response was immediate – to offer as much financial help as possible. With Gaza cut off and direct assistance to its people impossible, we focused on fundraising for Israeli human rights/health organisation, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, which has longstanding and close relationships with Gaza health providers. PHR-I pulled out all the stops to get basic medical supplies through Israel’s checkpoints and delivered to Gaza hospitals and health care staff. BSST supporters old and new were immensely generous - we received well over £50k to pass on to PHR-I. In the rest of our work we have continued to support many projects speaking to our core values of justice, equality of respect and mutual assistance. We have again been humbled by those remarkable groups, both in Palestine and in Israel, which have reacted to conflict, destruction and repression with small but powerful restatements of how it is possible, indeed essential, to live differently and peacefully, in full recognition of our shared humanity. In the report that follows, we aim to give as vivid a picture as we can of the brave and imaginative work they undertake. No matter how much income we raise, calls on our funds continue to grow. -
Global Jewish Organizations Für Recht Auf BDS Juli 2018
Global Jewish Organizations Affirm the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement New York, London, Berlin, Tel Aviv (July 17, 2018) – From South Africa to Sweden, New Zealand to Germany to Brazil, for the first time ever over thirty Jewish organizations across the globecame together in a statement condemning attempts to stifle criticism of Israel . The statement warns of a growing trend of legislative campaigns to target organizations that support Palestinian rights, particularly the nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “From our own histories we are all too aware of the dangers of increasingly fascistic and openly racist governments and political parties, ” the global letter states. “The rise in antisemitic discourse and attacks worldwide is part of that broader trend. At times like this, it is more important than ever to distinguish between the hostility to or prejudice against Jews on the one hand and legitimate critiques of Israeli policies and system of injustice on the other.” The United States has witnessed increasing legislative efforts to criminalize the boycott of illegal Israeli settlements and repress advocacy for Palestinian human rights by defining such acts as antisemitic , with two bills currently under discussion in US Congress. Such efforts are mirrored at the state level , where more than 25 state legislatures have considered or enacted various forms of targeting advocacy for Palestinian rights. Of particular concern is the usage of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ( IHRA ) definition of antisemitism, intentionally worded such that it equates legitimate criticisms of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights with antisemitism, as a means to suppress the former. -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2020 Jews Across
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2020 Jews Across the Globe Applaud Statement by Palestinian and Arab Academics, Journalists, and Intellectuals We, Jewish groups and individuals from across the globe, applaud the recent powerful statement and set of principles signed by 122 Palestinian and Arab academics, journalists, and intellectuals regarding the definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and the way this definition has been applied, interpreted and deployed. As the letter states so compellingly: " The fight against antisemitism should not be turned into a stratagem to delegitimise the fight against the oppression of the Palestinians, the denial of their rights and the continued occupation of their land." It avers: "Antisemitism must be debunked and combated. Regardless of pretense, no expression of hatred for Jews as Jews should be tolerated anywhere in the world. We also believe that the lessons of the Holocaust as well as those of other genocides of modern times must be part of the education of new generations against all forms of racial prejudice and hatred." And it also makes clear: "The fight against antisemitism must be deployed within the frame of international law and human rights. It should be part and parcel of the fight against all forms of racism and xenophobia, including Islamophobia, and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism. The aim of this struggle is to guarantee freedom and emancipation for all oppressed groups. It is deeply distorted when geared towards the defence of an oppressive and predatory state." See the full statement from Palestinian and Arab academics, journalists, and intellectuals here.