To wonder why the Corbynite left is so obsessed with Palestine?

[Antigony]

To be clear - I don't agree with everything the Israeli government is doing.

But there are vast numbers of governments around the world who are doing terrible things. There's the Chinese government's treatment of the Uighur Muslims, the Australian government's offshore internment of asylum seekers for years driving some to suicide, the Saudi Arabian government's warmongering and bombing in Yemen, Maduro in Venezuela stopping food aid from reaching his starving people, the Iranian government hanging gay people etc.

Why have so many people on the British left seized on and fetishised this one injustice? Why do they all put Palestinian flags in their twitter bios and jump on every opportunity to criticise Israel, but don't do the same for these other countries?

One does wonder how Corbyn even has the gall to criticize the bbc on Iranian TV - that bastion of objectivity and open journalism.

saying that the BBC is biased in favour of Israel isn’t (antisemitic)

Nobody has said it is, but that wasn't the point being made about Corbyn's comment was it? The issue raised was that he'd been caught on camera accusing the BBC of having "a bias towards saying ... that Israel has a right to exist"

Had he said "a bias towards defending Israel" that might have been different, but instead he chose to criticise perceived backing for its actual right to exist - which at least did us all the favour of removing any doubt as to his meaning

Under the circumstances I'd suggest there's no need for any "ruse" to discredit Corbyn when he's so generous in showing his ability to do it all by himself

Another point in the anti semitism definition: Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.

The hypocrisy of Netanyahu is horrendous.

One may not accuse Israel or Israelis of crimes against humanity, but Netanyahu is permitted to run his mouth off and accuse all the Poles of crimes against the jews and anti semitism. In his words,

“Poles co-operated with the Germans" during the Holocaust. Yet they cry over such sweeping statements being made about Israelis.

His Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz outdid his master by saying, "Poles imbibe anti-Semitism with their mother's milk".

Jaw dropping generalisation without any basis. It is sheer racism in itself.

Fact check: Approx 6 million Polish citizens died in WW2 - 3million were Jews.

The whole anti semitism definition makes you cringe when you look at the actions of Israeli appointed head of state.

Fact check: Approx 6 million Polish citizens died in WW2 - 3million were Jews.

Fact check: at the outbreak of the Second World War, the Polish population was approximately 31 million, of whom just under 10%, 3.3 million, were Jews.

Fact check: Approx 10% of non-Jewish Poles died during the Second World War. Approx 90% of Jewish Poles died during the Second World War.

JellySlice, you seem to downplay the number of non jews that died. Is the life of a gentile just not as precious then? your statistical makeover doesn’t make Netanyahu and his cronies comments any less disgusting. The fact remains that Poles died during holocaust. And Netanyahu is gross enough to hold all Poles responsible and his abhorrent minister is racist scum.

Too right that Poland boycotted a meeting with Israel.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ForcedlabourrunderGermannruleduringgWorldWarrII

60 million died in WW2.

@PowerShower

Saying that Netanyahu is racist is not anti semitism and no one has said it is. His actions are racist, his new partners certainly are and many many Jews and israelis say this too.

Then again Modi is racist, Trump is racist, Orban is racist etc etc and no is saying this is reason to therefore discriminate against hindus for eg. And i certainly couldn't imagine referring to the very many racist and misogynistic leaders and groups in the muslim world and then somehow use that to justify islamophobia or 'cringe' at the definition. In fact, tying the two together is racist in and of itself, more so if you only do this with Jews/Israel.

Indeed, the fact that the internationally accepted definition of racism makes you cringe is very telling in and of itself.

And denial of the extent of jewish suffering in the holocaust is absolutely anti semitism. Pure and simple.

On the contrary, PowerShower, it is you who are downplaying the numbers by representing them as equal numbers of Jewish and non-Jewish Poles dying.

Nobody is denying that the death toll of non-combatants in WW2 was appalling. Nobody is denying that more Soviets died in WW2 than Jews. Nobody is denying that Jews were not the only group targeted for extermination.

Their obsession with the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by thinly veiled anti-semitism. It is so blatant I'm surprised anyone can justify otherwise. So many other awful conflicts with terrible treatment of various peoples but they only ever bang the drum on this. The far-left are a dangerous group who will keep anti-semitism live and well

“Their obsession with the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by thinly veiled anti-semitism”

Right. So there we have it. Criticism of Israeli government policy is considered anti Semitic. Glad it’s finally been admitted by someone at least.

Bertrand That is not what was actually said.

“Their obsession with the Israel-Palestine conflict is driven by thinly veiled anti-semitism.”
No? Seems pretty clear to me. Or is it the word “obsession”? You can object to bombing civilians up to a certain point- but beyond that point it becomes anti Semitic?

They are talking about the motives of focusing on this issue. Not talking about the issue at all.
My own view is that there are people who are genuinely concerned and campaign on this issue because of their concern. And there are people whose motivation is partly anti semitism. But I have been around lefty people for many years and have had a number of occasions where I suddenly hear anti semitism from someone who I would never have expected it from. And yes I would count Corbyn in this group as well.

No. You are twisting my point.

If they gave the same or similar attention to other any conflicts and poor human treatment then it would be different. But they do not. They are only interested in this one. Of course it's not wrong to criticise the actions of Israel - but if that's all you do at the expense of showing an interest in any other atrocity then it whiffs of anti-semitism.

“They are talking about the motives of focusing on this issue.”

Why would you not focus on this issue? A democratic government of a country set up to be a beacon of hope bombing civilians?

Yes it is wrong.
But this whole thread is about how certain people on the left focus on this, and ignore other atrocities committed by other countries.

Yes-well. That’s starting from the premise that a) they do ignore all other atrocities and b) that atrocities committed by democratic governments of supposedly enlightened countries are not worse than atrocities committed by vile dictators/monarchies.

that atrocities committed by democratic governments of supposedly enlightened countries are not worse than atrocities committed by vile dictators/monarchies.

Its worse to die at the hands of a democratic government than a dictatorship? I think it's equally horrific actually and people should care equally.

Yes, the atrocities should be condemned. But there is a standard we expect of a modern democracy that we do not expect of a dictatorship. Israel has signally failed to meet those expectations.

Yes, the atrocities should be condemned

I agree- but I also believe that many other world atrocities should be condemned with the same force.

“ agree- but I also believe that many other world atrocities should be condemned with the same force”
Yep.

My point about atrocities committed by democratically elected governments set up to be a hope for the future?

Their obsession is probably heightened because Corbynistas are radical socialists and Jews are synonymous (rightly or wrongly - but certainly in the UK and US) with capitalism.
Polar opposites.

"But this whole thread is about how certain people on the left focus"

Except Corbyn and other Labour MPs have made an issue about Saudi Arabia and their bombing of Yemen, they have stood up for many other human rights issues too.

BTW the portrayal of Corbyn and his policies as radical socialists is laughable, go take a look at the radical socialist countries that employ similar policies, like Germany, Denmark, Norway etc.

I see you are obsessed with me BorisBogtrotter.

"If they gave the same or similar attention to other any conflicts and poor human treatment then it would be different"

Except where they oppose bombing in Yemmen, and Syria, or where Corbyn and others have had life long activisim in human rights issues in many countries and situations?

You are begging the question here.