Demands grow on Corbyn to apologise

THE BOARD of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the CST have urged Jeremy Corbyn to apologise for associating with anti-Israel extremists.

A letter from the Board — a response to Labour General Secretary Jennie Formby’s own letter “outlining the Labour Party’s recent actions to tackle antisemitism” — suggested that, rather than acting as a Middle East “peace maker”, his participation at “events with antisemites, terroristsympathisers and other extremists” showed he wished to show “solidarity” with, rather than challenge these groups.

In a separate response, the JLC and CST say Mr Corbyn should apologise for his association with such groups, adding that the atmosphere in the party is “too febrile and too lacking in trust for us to consult in any way that risks being construed as somehow lacking in transparency”.

In the Board’s letter, chief executive Gillian Merron writes: “Peace-makers speak to different parties to conflict and seek to show empathy with both and find common ground. There is no evidence that Mr Corbyn has sought to reach out to challenging — or even mainstream — Israeli speakers.

“Through these actions, he has not advanced the cause of peace and, potentially, even set it back.

We would urge that any future activism on this issue by Mr Corbyn should engage with mainstream Israeli and Palestinian leaders, with a view to advancing peace based on the concerns of both communities.”

Referring to his comments about “Zionists” and his claim that they are “somehow un-British”, the letter accuses Mr Corbyn of resorting to a “classic racist trope”.

It says: “These failures of judgement send a signal that such behaviour is acceptable or laudable.

“This in turn leads to a hostile environment for Jews, where our Britishness is questioned and those who have even sought to kill British Jews or our relatives are praised.” The letter then calls for Mr Corbyn to “acknowledge his own failings and offer a heartfelt apology to British Jews and to the Israeli victims of the terrorists with whom he has shown solidarity”.

Ms Merron renews the call for Labour to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism in full with all its examples — but her letter raises serious concern about attempts to caveat the definition.

In their letter, JLC chief executive Simon Johnson and CST deputy chief executive Mark Gardner say they consider the “current atmosphere” with Labour’s leadership “too febrile and too lacking in trust for us to consult in any way that risks being construed as somehow lacking in transparency.”

Their letter says: “This includes full appreciation of the fundamental religious and historical linkage between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, the impact of the Holocaust and subsequent antisemitism upon mainstream Jewish support for Zionism and modern day Israel.”

They send a signal that such behaviour is laudable’