Anti-Semitism must not be elevated over other racism
JVL Introduction
The authors of this article, Sue Pentel and Jacob Woolf, are members of Jewish Voice for Just Peace-Ireland
Recent calls have been made for Ireland to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
Here they argue strongly against such a move both because of inherent weaknesses in the IHRA definition and in the face of growing realities on the ground in Israel-Palestine.
They advocate the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism as a constructive alternative, stressing the need to place antisemitism in the context of racism in general.
And they point to the increasing cost in terms of human rights of maintaining Israel as a Jewish – apartheid – state
This article was originally published by The Irish Times on Thu 16 Dec 2021. Read the original here.
Anti-Semitism must not be elevated over other racism
Israel is an apartheid state that curtails, diminishes and denies Palestinians’ rights
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You know I was called an antisemite at my Labour Party panel interview to stand as a councillor at next years local elections. I was shocked they might as well have called me a racist or bully, I felt awful. So I googled anti-Semitic. Excuse my ignorance I did not know what it meant.
: feeling or showing hatred of Jewish people” I could have cried, I was so dam angry I cannot wait for my appeal to put those right wing “do dahs” in their place. Why? Because I liked a post by my dear Jewish friend, showed support for Luciana Berger who tweeted that she felt like it was Nazi Germany the way she had been treated by the Labour Party and showed support for Jackie Walker as a woman again treated so badly. Not because they were from the Jewish faith because as a woman I supported fellow women who felt persecuted. I’m a non Jew who reads your Emails every evening. I am so ashamed at how you all feel let alone how you have been treated.
Surely, disagreeing with a religion, any religion, doesn’t mean the disagreer ‘hates’ those of the disagreed with a religion? The varied religions of their being auto-disagree with each other being as each proclaim their religion the holiest or the faith that is most populated or is chosen in their scripture as supreme above all faiths. The issue about anti-Semitism and racism anywhere where insult is and maybe delivered and or is received has been highlighted in a recent court case where ‘the right to insult’ is an integral freedom for free speech. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-59727118
This report states very clearly the obvious problems with the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It should be required reading for all those who still believe that Israel is a liberal democracy under attack from those who would destroy it. It should also be required reading for all those who assume that Jews naturally support Israel.
I am one of the many Jews who has been described as antisemitic – a Jew-hater’ and ‘self-hater’ – because I support Palestine’s right to be free of Israel’s oppressions. The IHRA definition of antisemitism would seem only to confirm this view of myself and those like me as being valid, and therefore unarguable.
Meanwhile, while we all argue over what is or is not antisemitism, we are diverted away from arguing the issues Israel does not wish us to discuss: the ghettoisation of Gaza, the military presence and the settler movement in the West Bank, the annexation of East Jerusalem, and all the horrific violence being committed on Palestinians in consequence of these.
It would be a cause of great regret if Ireland, which has been a friend to Palestine, were to adopt the IHRA definition; there are so many parallels between their historical difficulties with the British and the difficulties faced by Palestine today
Worry not Lesley to be called an antisemite just means that you have questioned the dictates of Keir Starmer and David Evans. Their tactic is simply to label ANYONE who may not fully agree with them as being antisemitic.
By the way once you have been accused their IS no appeal. Thats why it is called “the witch hunt”.
‘Recent calls have been made for Ireland to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism’, Made by whom? Speaking as a 72 year old catholic from an Irish Traveller gypsy family I too have problems, not only with the IHRA, but also with Jewish ‘ownership’ of the term ‘Holocaust’. Gypsies have always been rendered invisible, especially by the IHRA. No media references & no memorials, the most persecuted people in history, who, like the Palestinians will be ‘moved on’ or eliminated. It is a self evident truth that Israel is a racist endeavour.
Your support is welcomed, Lesley, but I don’t think you can put Luciana Berger in the same category as Jackie Walker! LB left the Labour Party, crying antisemitism, because she had been criticised for political positions, including by other Jews in her constituency. She is one of those guilty of using the smear of antisemitism to deflect justified blame for other issues.
Not all criticism of Jews is antisemitic!
Lesley’s experience just shows the nature of the witch hunt. The witch finder general goes through all social media of the person under investigation and seizes on anything they see as positive evidence. They ignore any context and anything which may be seen as negative evidence. Have they ever studied science I wonder – or do they think *we* are stupid? I wish you luck in your appeal.
About the article – I am not surprised that Ireland has refused to accept the IHRA so called definition. The situation there and particularly in Northern Ireland is similar in many particulars to the situation in Israel .
This is a simplified version of what happened after Irish partition – but Roman Catholics became second class citizens in the North and the Catholic hierarchy in Eire acquired far too much power. As known this culminated in
1969 with a peaceful march in favour of human rights which was brutally put down. There was bloodshed in the North of Ireland and in this country too – and they are still struggling to find a permanent peaceful solution.
I strongly agree with “Anti-Semitism must not be elevated over other racism”, as I’ve never seen the need for a tailored antisemitism law. The UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) covers all forms of racism or discrimination against anyone of any religion/sect/colour/ethnic group/gender etc. There has been no clamour, for example, for a law to specifically priotect ,against Islamophobic behaviour. The UHDR covers it all, the real need is to take action when it is recognised, something the Tory party has failed to about their deep-seated racism as highlighted by Baroness Warsi.
The Holocaust exists in the imagination of the public as a unique horror that is at the same time emblematic of all the evil that human beings are capable of in the service of an ideology. Consequently it does not belong to the Jewish people alone but to the whole of mankind. Similarly the responsibility for the Holocaust doesn’t reside solely with the German people but with everyone of every nationality. Those who refuse to recognize these truths are doomed sooner or later to reenact the Holocaust in their own habitat. That is what it means to learn from the past: we have to treat our neighbors with compassion, whether they are Jews or Palestinians or anyone else. As often before I turn to William Blake for understanding:
“A Robin Red breast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage
A Dove house filld with Doves & Pigeons
Shudders Hell thr’ all its regions
A dog starvd at his Masters Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State
A Horse misusd upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood”