AIBU to believe antisemitism is being ignored by the left wing in politics.

[OpheliaWasntMad]

The anti Israeli/ pro Palestine marches have created an environment that encourages antisemitism. The Green Party is colluding with extremists. British Jews are right to feel angry and afraid .

I don't understand what going on tbh. Every single party is accused of anti-semetism.

The way I see it - there's just tonnes of hatred of other people all over the place. I don't perceive that Jewish people are hated any more than all the other people being hated upoe. Humans are by and large a hateful species. WE seem to love hating everyone and telling everyone we are hated to justify our own hate.

Humans need to get a grip.

Err plenty of those on the right are extremely antisemitic. Nick Fuentes anyone? Some on the left are antisemitic, many more are against the actions of the Israeli state. Stop conflating the two. I abhor the attacks on Jews on British streets. I also abhor the actions of Netanyahu and settlers in the West Bank. Both groups can be wrong and evil.

No it's not. I'm not downplaying the various wrongs, but Zionism is the belief in a Jewish homeland.

So saying you are anti-Palestinians being treated badly, fine. That's about supporting the oppressed.

Saying you are 'anti-zionist' - you are saying you are anti Jews having their own homeland. That is anti-jew, as opposed to being pro- palestinian.

Jews ethically originated from the middle east. They have been there for thousands of years. Some moved to Europe becuase of persecution. They aren't a 'european race'

I’m a lifelong labour voter, now almost 60.

Sadly I think today’s labour party is a far cry from it’s core values and has become dominated by Islington luvvies with more interest in image and pet causes than social justice, mobility and equality.

The working class, most particularly the white working class, are distasteful to them, rather than being the grass roots of the party.

The rise in antisemitism is directly related to an unbalanced view about Islam.

Whilst of course the war in Gaza was a horror, much of the left preferred to ignore the truth of the truly unbelievable act of terrorism which sparked it.

The left has gone so far in championing minorities that they don’t want to see that sometimes the minority itself is in the wrong.

Much like with trans ideology. The left has embraced the idea of poor oppressed men who believe they are women whilst ignoring the dangers and indignities posed to actual women by following this dogma to the conclusion ie that women therefore have no protection from men.

Ridiculously and tragically there is an element of fashion which has led us to a place where British jewish and British women are under threat.

Supporting boring British jews and boring biological women is not as edgy as supporting as men in frocks and islam.

This has been an enormous factor with the young and impressionable who live on social media and who love a cause and mini rebellion when they are in fact too lacking in life experience and frequently too cosseted to understand the dangers they dismiss.

Politicians, craving popularity, see a chance to align themselves with a noisy movement and so the whole thing is reinforced with sound bites and those involved congratulate themselves on their virtue.

It was always clear that British jews were being threatened once the endless marches were allowed to spiral out of control but this was an inconvenient truth which was minimised and ignored.

Whilst racism or discrimination about people’s sexual preferences has no place in the true left, neither does the ridiculous situation we find ourselves in where the pendulum has swung so far to the other extreme that danger and truth cannot be confronted for fear of being seen as racist or a bigot.

Tragically it has taken murders to bring proper attention to this problem.

This is exactly right. Protesting against the appalling actions by Israel is absolutely correct, and not anti semitic. Anti semitism is also very wrong but difficult to protest against as there is no state or identifiable accept to focus on. Also, anti semitism is more a right wing behavior than a left wing behavior

You are entitled to your view but many, many British Jews feel that the it is the left that is a much bigger problem for Jews.

Can you evidence that its more a right wing behaviour? Because I see far more casual (i.e. mentioned in conversation) antisemitism from those who claim to be left wing, and more extreme antisemitism.

It is just as easy to protest against anti-semitism as anything else. There have been marches, campaigns, speeches. Its just that fewer people showed up. Have you?

@Bringemout Thank you for such a sensible well written post, I’m also a visible ethnic minority. I remember feeling real fear when people that looked Chinese were being targeted with abuse when the covid outbreak was taking hold. This happened in London and was reported in the press. It was thankfully fleeting.

I also think that term moral licensing which I haven’t heard before sums it up very well.

It’s awful that people are disagreeing with people who are actually Jewish on this thread about their lived experience,

@TheLittleSunnyCat maybe this can be an example.

I have had a debate/argument with someone recently, I have no idea how we got on to the subject as I try to avoid talking about politics as it all seems so volatile but they said something astounding and awful. It was about a news item regarding Isreal. She said you have to wonder why Jews are hated, there must be a reason, I replied you can't say that and she replied well they are money obsessed aren’t they. This is a well educated woman, a relative of my husbands who is very pro Gaza. I actually said that’s anti semitic, she disagreed, she considers herself very emotionally intelligent and is the sort to tell you.

For those who think it's a problem.

What action should Starmer take to resolve it?

Is any peaceful protest against Israel's actions allowed in your view?

The marches contain extremists and the slogans, placards , face covering etc has created a climate that has fostered antisemitism.

Police have powers to stop people from wearing masks in protests. Are they not using this? Genuinely a question because that's one thing which could help if that's a concern.

For so many in this thread the logic goes like this: Those people who are strongly pro Palestinian and deeply opposed to Israeli actions in Gaza are predominantly on the left. Being pro Palestinian and critical of Israel is anti semitic. Hence the left is anti semitic.

Exactly this. I’m boycotting any produce from Israel the same way I did from South Africa during the anti apartheid days. That is ok. I absolutely don’t condone any targeting of Jewish or Muslim communities. That is not ok.

We are not b lind. The left has joined forces with Islamists and you cannot hide that.

You should not keep pretending 'the left' is virulently antisemitic, repeating it over and over again doesn't make it true and the agenda is obvious.

Why did you include Muslim in your sentence? When have they been attacked and by whom?

I agree. The left wing has a MASSIVE blind spot when it comes to racism against Jews.
Netanyahu’s actions are being used as an excuse to ignore appalling behaviour to innocent British Jews. Every time people mention antisemitism in Britain posters pop up deflect with “ what about Gaza”

Personally, I will oppose loudly and at every opportunity every effort to frame anti Israel sentiment and activity as anti semitism. But I will equally counter any anti semitism I encounter as stringently

The left does have a problem. Denying it won’t make it go away

“appease” has a very derogatory sound to it. Some Jewish women cover their hair and wear long skirts, Jewish men wear skullcaps…

And as regularly, when someone criticizes Israel someone pops up to shout that it's anti semitism

And there is a deepy Islamaphobic current in this thread