Don’t vote Corbyn
In the weeks leading up to the December 12 general election in the UK, more and more efforts are being made to sound the alarm and make non-Jewish voters aware of the systemic antisemitism in the Labour Party.
Last week, a group of well-known British intellectuals and artists – none of whom are Jewish, and many of whom do not plan to vote for the Conservative Party – wrote an open letter urging voters to reject Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Among the signatories were spy novelist John le Carré, historians Antony Beevor and Tom Holland, Muslims Against Antisemitism head Ghanem Nuseibeh, and writer Maajid Nawaz.
“The coming election is momentous for every voter, but for British Jews it contains a particular anguish: the prospect of a prime minister steeped in association with antisemitism,” the letter reads. “Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, Labour has come under formal investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission for institutional racism against Jews. Two Jewish MPs have been bullied out of the party. Mr. Corbyn has a long record of embracing antisemites as comrades.”
“Antisemitism is racism,” Nawaz wrote on Twitter. “Antisemitism is the *only* form of racism that unites all fascists: far-left, far-right & theocratic Islamists. This is why antisemitism is the most dangerous form of racism...There were always excuses made for Jew hate in Europe. Do not make excuses for it...Do not betray Jews.”
Earlier this month, The Jewish Chronicle, the major Jewish newspaper in the UK, published an open letter on its front page “to all our fellow British citizens.”
“Throughout his career,” the paper’s editors wrote of Corbyn, “he has allied with and supported antisemites such as Paul Eisen, Stephen Sizer and Raed Salah. He has described organizations like Hamas, whose founding charter commits it to the extermination of every Jew...as his ‘friends.’ He has laid a wreath to honor terrorists who have murdered Jews. He has insulted ‘Zionists’ – the word used by antisemites when they mean ‘Jew’ because they think it allows them to get away with it – as lacking understanding of English irony.”
The Labour leader claims that he extends his friendship to terrorist organizations bent on murdering Jews in a peacemaking effort. But he has made no such effort with Israelis, making it hard to believe he is truly trying to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians. In fact, he ignored an invitation to come to Israel from former Labor leader Isaac Herzog. Despite Corbyn’s repeated claims that he has been to the Knesset, a Jerusalem Post investigation last year found no evidence of such a visit, and his only known meeting with Israeli politicians was in his advocacy for Israel to free Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu.
There have been complaints throughout the UK of antisemitism by local Labour officials, and Corbyn and his close allies obstructed attempts to take action against the racists.
Instead, Corbyn has taken the path of finding a handful of Jews willing to act as his fig leaf to cover up his shameful actions, instead of listening to the vast majority of British Jews and the organizations that represent them.
The JC referred to a poll that found 87% of British Jews consider Corbyn to be an antisemite, and 47% would “seriously consider” leaving the country if Corbyn wins the election.
While we are in favor of aliyah – Jews around the world should know that they are welcome in Israel – Jews need to be able to live in the Diaspora without fear of antisemitism.
It is clear that the vast majority of British Jews feel that they will be less safe if Corbyn is elected. He has done absolutely nothing to assuage those fears.
Corbyn does not care to remove the malignant tumor that has turned his party into one that has made racism – not fighting it, but promoting it – a priority despite losing donors and voters. This is a travesty and a tragedy.
Anyone who believes that antisemitism is wrong should not vote for Corbyn’s party. A vote for Labour on December 12 is a vote for structural racism and hate.