The presentation of a report into anti-Semitism in Britain's main opposition movement was overshadowed by a statement of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who seemed to liken the Israeli government to the ISIS terror group.
Corbyn stressed that no form of racism was acceptable, but added: "Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel or the Netanyahu government than our Muslims friends are for those various self-styled Islamic State."
His words sparked immediate controversy, despite his spokesman strongly denying that Corbyn had drawn any link between ISIS and the Netanyahu government.
“He was explicitly stating that people should not be held responsible for the actions of states or organisations around the world on the basis of religion or ethnicity,” said the spokesman.
There were also claims that a Jewish Labour MP, Ruth Smeeth, was verbally attacked by a supporter for the far-left Labour Momentum group, which is the core base of Corbyn, at the presentation.
Corbyn is currently under strong pressure from his parliamentary caucus to resign. On Tuesday, Labour lawmakers adopted a no-confidence motion by 172 against 40 votes, and more than half of his Shadow Cabinet have resigned already in protest at his leadership.
The report, written by Sami Chakrabarti with the support of two other Labour members, concluded that the "Labour Party is not overrun by anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or other forms of racism. [...] However, as with wider society, there is too much clear evidence (going back some years) of minority hateful or ignorant attitudes and behaviours festering within a sometimes bitter incivility of discourse. This has no place in a modern democratic socialist party that puts equality, inclusion and human rights at its heart."
Chakrabarti added: "Moreover, I have heard too many Jewish voices express concern that anti-Semitism has not been taken seriously enough in the Labour Party and broader Left for some years. An occasionally toxic atmosphere is in danger of shutting down free speech within the Party rather than facilitating it, and is understandably utilised by its opponents. It is completely counterproductive to the Labour cause, let alone to the interests of frightened and dispossessed people, whether at home or abroad.
"Whilst the Party seeks to represent wider society, it must also lead by example, setting higher standards for itself than may be achievable, or even aspired to, elsewhere. It is not sufficient, narrowly to scrape across some thin magic line of non-anti-Semitic or non-racist motivation, speech or behavior, if some of your fellow members, voters or potential members or voters feel personally vulnerable, threatened or excluded as the result of your conduct or remarks. The Labour Party has always been a broad coalition for the good of society. We must set the gold standard for disagreeing well. I set out clear guidance so as to help achieve this."
'Resist making Nazi comparisons'
Chakrabarti recommended to Labour members that among other things, the use of epithets such as "Paki" or "Zio" should not be tolerated any longer, that party "members should resist the use of Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors, distortions and comparisons in debates about Israel-Palestine in particular", that the "excuse for, denial, approval or minimization of the Holocaust and attempts to blur responsibility for it have no place in the Labour Party." However, Chakrabarti said she did not recommend life-time bans on party members for anti-Semitic statements.
The probe followed the suspension of MP Naz Shah and ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone amid anti-Semitism claims, which they both deny.
A few weeks ago, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, Jonathan Arkush, told a parliamentary committee that Livingstone's statements had been "deliberately offensive and purposely provocative."
Labour's shift to the left under Corbyn had "emboldened" anti-Semites on the far left to voice their prejudices, Arkush told lawmakers. "The election of a leader who is associated with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, with Stop the War, with a very, very hostile position on Israel, very well-known and well-publicized, and someone who has thought it appropriate to meet here in the democratic mother of parliaments with terrorist organizations whose stated mission in life is to kill as many Christians and Jews as possible, has clearly sent the wrong sort of message to some people.
"With the advent of a more leftwards tilt in the leadership of the Labour Party, some people feel that a space has been opened up for them, or they feel emboldened to say things which previously they felt they couldn't say in polite society," Arkush said at the hearing earlier this month.
