AIBU to say the Green Party has an antisemitism problem?

[Aislyn]

I said this in a conversation and got an interesting reaction.

I’m basing it on repeated examples of Green Party candidates and members sharing conspiracy theories about zionists, downplaying antisemitism, or even justifying attacks on Israeli civilians. That goes way beyond normal criticism of Israel.

I’m not saying every supporter is antisemitic, but there does seem to be a pattern with some of their people, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to call that out. Notably, many of the people who have come out with these views are still party members.

A friend said I was smearing the party and that this is just pro-Palestinian views being misrepresented.

Am I being unreasonable to call it an antisemitism problem?

Yanbu. It also has a woman problem. I will be voting for whoever will keep them out of power.

We all know that bigotry that starts with Jews, never stops with Jews, so other marginalised groups are quite right to also be afraid. Unfortunately, I can't see that women's rights would be protected either.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15778609/Green-Party-leader-Zack-Polanski-condemned-retweet-criticising-hero-police-took-Golders-Green-terrorist.html?ito=push-notification&ci=IQEX2TL302&cri=WMN4GCkLZf&si=NE9nBZq6-_MF&xi=63a18c2c-a574-45df-bd89-1c8e1ff9993c&ai=15778609

In case there is any doubt where the Green Party's sympathy lies following the terrorist attack yesterday.

@Aislyn ”In case there is any doubt where the Green Party's sympathy lies following the terrorist attack yesterday.”

He knows the Muslim/Pro-pally voters are watching what he does.

Greens are fucked though, they will never get in, they are a momentary flash in the pan.
It’s actually a good argument against proportional representation, and I support PR.

Apparently the police agree there's a problem:

Green Party candidates arrested over ‘anti-Semitism’

www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/afe6c6c782edfd1b

I am glad they have been charged, but beyond disappointed that they haven't been expelled from the party despite the charges for terrorism.

Because too many people want to ignore what is happening.

As I said before, those of us IN the party know there is a very ugly form of anti semitism within it.

The greens enabled some of the worst examples of trans activists and actual sexual abusers who supported and used trans issues as a smoke screen to hide behind.

At one point the chair of the women’s group was a male who was trans identified and worked for Helen Webberly, who prescribes now banned drugs to children.

Any party that allows and facilitates this kind of entryism is vulnerable to much much worse.

What is the opinions of those in the party, from your experience?

Is the Anti-Semitism being called out, or is there a general tolerance or agreement to it?

Yes, but I'm not looking for loopholes. Opposing Israel's current policies is no loophole, nor is it anti-Semitism. Opposing Netanyahu's government has nothing to do with calling Jews demonic, and I find it worrying that you seem to see an equivalence.

Have you read the recent Haaretz report where ex-IDF members describe the atrocities they have seen carried out by their colleagues in Israel's name? Is if anti-Semitic for these people to say that or Haaretz to publish it? Is opposing, for example, the deliberate targeting of children or attacking people trying to get aid 'a loophole'? Many Jewish people are horrified by what is being done, apparently in their name.

I think you are the one looking for a loophole to try and make this crook Netanyahu, and his fellow government members somehow acceptable. They aren't, and their being Jewish does not give them a 'get out of jail free' card. Calling opposition them them 'anti-Semtism' just devalues the term and plays into the hands of the true anti-Semites.

You are not understanding me...saying you criticise Israel does not mean you are free to ALSO be antisemitic, and cover it up with 'criticism of Israel.' Hence the violence, murder, calling Jews vermin, etc, does not all magically become ok because these people might also oppose Israel's actions.

The Green Party used to be an highly respected, if slightly fringe , political party.
It has been hijacked by populist opportunists like Polanski and by extremists who see it as a cover for a route to power .
Some of their candidates include…
Tina Ion - a Newcastle Green candidate who runs an account called “The Real Anne Frank” which refers to “Jewish Nazis” and mocks Jews.

Sabine Maurer - Clapham candidate who posted a man with a placard saying “ramming a synagogue isn’t antisemitism it’s revenge”

Saiqa Ali who posted pictures of Hamas fighters with the headline “Resistance is Freedom”

Not sure any of the above care about Green issues or care about British people.

And those candidates are just following the examples of their leader Polanski and Mothin Ali the deputy leader ….

I used to think the Green Party were slightly bonkers and unrealistic, but worth keeping in mind as a protest vote; now, none of the above, thanks. BUT, for me, the increasing overlap with Islamist anti-semitic radical elements is the death knell. No sensible person could agree with Netanyahu, but Gaza has been appallingly badly governed for almost 20 years. Instinctively I side with Israel, because it's legitimately democratic and tolerates vocal disagreement.

From what I understand it is to a point but it's very hard as they find ways to suspend people, which means being silenced.

This means being underground so to speak, and working behind the scenes. I do know of some action taken internally in this way but obviously can’t say publicly.

I think greens are now being forced to put their heads above the parapet where they see indefensible behaviour and turn to the press and social media. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g05pkqyxko

I hope this share token works

Be afraid, be very afraid of disingenuous Zack Polanski

https://www.thetimes.com/article/b8e58c61-fab7-4aa7-9206-b00aa76fe810?shareToken=a0726a6f98c83b52968ad5d88fb2ba25

Baroness Faulkner

Silence on antisemitism shames us as British Muslims

https://www.thetimes.com/article/d93a138e-926e-4057-890d-0dacc68a3cfb?shareToken=0ce96b9a99e88894eedff27a4684d394

Thanks for this. I agree with ever word. Polanski is a repellent amoral opportunist who has parasitically hopped into the Green Party and corrupted its original idealism for his own ends .

“The Greens of old, the lovers of nature, those seeking a fairer world, on the candidates list in my own borough. The Lolas and Freddies, the retired GPs and housing campaigners. But until they reclaim their party, it is wholly unfit for power, accommodating poisonous antisemites and led by a disingenuous chancer who knows exactly what he’s doing.”

There seems to be a trend of calling anyone who supports Muslims and/or condems the Israeli government's genocide antisemitic.

There seems to be a trend of attacking Jews and pretending you're doing it because you care about Palestinians

That sort of glib disingenuous response won’t work anymore. It

Thank you for sharing both these articles, they are very interesting.

Have you read the links I provided? It doesn't sound like it, and I would suggest you do, then come back and discuss.

The links show that the Green party is not engaging in legitimate criticism of Israeli politics, but rather unacceptable Anti-Semitism. If you think differently, having read them, I would be happy to discuss. So far, no one has read them and thought they were not overly Anti-Semitic.

30 candidates being investigated by the party for antisemitism. Many or most have had the support of the party withdrawn

Zack Polanski’s stock plummets as antisemitism row engulfs Green Party

https://www.thetimes.com/article/5962fc52-2b39-461a-acec-802023b4acf8?shareToken=62515256bc1441fd2fb31bc4ca3b9cc2

an article on two candidates who have had support withdrawn. Both mentioned upthread https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxpq67l633o?app-referrer=deep-link

...because antisemitism is on the rise and has entered main stream politics, not just in the Green Party, but in the Labour Party and Plaid Cymru. We are getting to the point where it is now (almost) acceptable for MPs and candidates who could realistically gain power to express their hatred of Jews.

If you don't understand why that is utterly terrifying, you need to educate yourself on 20th Century European history and remember there are people still living who suffered the atrocities of the Holocaust.

If you need to question why people are concerned enough to talk about it, you need to ask yourself why.