Mainstream Left & Anti-Semitism

With the Lib Dem leader in the news, its interesting to see that only two weeks after an all parliamentary enquiry concluded anti Semitism was on the rise again the Lib Dems own Baroness Tonge has publicly embraced the best known anti semitic myth out there.  Speaking on Tuesday at a meeting of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Tonge says: “The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on the western world, its financial grips. I think they have probably got a certain grip on our party". This part of her speech was recorded and broadcast by Radio 4’s Today Programme. Click here and forward 21 minutes into the broadcast. Personally I don’t imagine anyone gripping the Lib Dems all that tightly but her remarks are truly pathetic especially as a ‘Liberal’ member of the House of Lords. And she is hardly naïve. Waxing lyrical about suicide bombers saw her sacked last year from the front bench (whilst being elevated to the House of Lords, you understand) 

You may also recall that Chris Davies, resigned as the leader of the Lib Dems in the European Parliament shortly after sending an abusive email to one of his Jewish constituents.

This sort of rubbish now comes from within the mainstream left and should concern us all.  It is a nod to the peddling of rebranded anti-Semitism masquerading as Israel criticism by members of Respect and by the likes of 'MPAC' - seen here wriggling out of complaints about Israel images on their website. This week saw the Khartoum government allege any UN intervention in Sudanese genocide was merely a design on ‘redrawing the region to protect Israel’. For some elements of the left, cue those placards?: we are all Janjaweed now

Comments

[Mike Cunningham]

Besides the Noble Baroness, there should also be a special place reserved for Cherie Blair, who of course gave us her own special 'spin' on the rights of killers to blow others up alongside themselves!

[Sean Fear]

In the sixties, the Liberals were a very popular party among British Jews - in fact, next to Orpington, Finchley was their top target in London - how times change!

Baroness Tonge probably goes to bed with a copy of the Protocols of the Elders.

[dark_heretic]

I must admit to being worried by the shift in peoples view points.

We readily accept appeasement of terrorists, terror nations and extremists no matter what they say or do.

We also accept anti-semetic comments and acts no matter how bad.

Viewpoints I personally think are back to front

[mahons]

Alsion:
I am afraid the Jews have the distinction of facing anti-semitism from the right as well. The pendulum may have swung to the left so that they have a more influential minority of antisemites among them presently, but it was clearly entrenched among a portion of the right (at least here in the U.S.) for some time. I think fair minded people should correctly expose it whenever it rears its ugly head.

[Cunningham]

>>“The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on the western world, its financial grips.<<

Why, Alison, refer to such comments as anti-semitic? Would it not be enough to say they are anti-Israel?
And is it offensive to you because it is anti-Israel or because you think it is anti-semitic?, i.e. If it could be proven that it has no anti-semitic intent, would it still be offensive?

Why are there so many Jews who make these and similar statements if they are so anti-semitic?

Another - much easier - question: since when have the Lib Dems been "mainstream Left" for God's sake?

[Fanny]

Call me cynical, but I can't read the words "members of Respect" without snorting my disbelief--and I don't know whether I'm laughing or crying.

[Reg]

"Waxing lyrical about suicide bombers saw her sacked last year from the front bench (whilst being elevated to the House of Lords, you understand)"

Doesn't her being packed of to the retirement home that is the HOL for her comments last year show that her views are not mainstream even within the Lib Dems let alone the "mainstream left"?

[David Vance]

Good post Alison - well observed.

[daytripper]

Good post Alison - well observed.

but reg is talking out his ass, right?

"Another - much easier - question: since when have the Lib Dems been "mainstream Left" for God's sake?"

I seem to remember some very wacky mainstream left ideas from the Lib. Dems. over the years. Ideas that even the Labour party did not support. Anything to get people’s attention I suppose

[Reg]

"but reg is talking out his ass, right?"

Daytripper,

David would never be so obtuse!

[Sean Fear]

"Why, Alison, refer to such comments as anti-semitic?"

Because the are stereotypically anti-semitic.

[Cunningham]

What's anti-semitic about them, Sean?

[daytripper]

have a good roshoshanna tomorrow.

[dangerouslysubversivedad]

Cunningham,

They are anti-semitic because they go right back to Nazi 'Jewish money controls the world' conspiracy theories. And even if you accept the bizarre premise that referring to Israel isnt referring to Jews, the idea that this tiny nation of five million has such huge influence would be laughable if it wasnt always alleged in such a way as to imply precisely the same things the Nazis did, and for that matter still do.

And Reg,

She is still a member of the Party, ironic that if a Tory member made such disgusting comments you Lefties would be the first to scream 'Nazi!' and 'Fascist!' Chris Davies says any Jew who supports Israel 'wallows in their own filth' - still a Lib Dem MEP last time I checked. Baroness Nicholson says Iran is an 'advanced form of democracy' - still a Lib Dem MEP.

And now they have decided that no UK arms should go to Israel because Israel is a destabilising influence in the Middle East. Those pesky Jews, they just wont go and stabilise things by walking into Arab gas chambers without a fight...

[j0nz]

Personally I don’t imagine anyone griping the Lib Dems all that tightly

LOL.

...Very well written and researched post. The right needs more of this dulcet aqumen.

[j0nz]

Umm that should read acumen, of course. Something I appear to lacking in at this moment!

[Sean Fear]

Cunningham - I doubt very much if she was referring to Israeli Arabs having their "financial grips" on the Western World, and so that only leaves one group of Israelis, doesn't it?

Claiming that Jewish finaciers manipulate Western governments has been stock in trade for anti-semites, ever since the Protocols were written. She knew precisely what she was saying, and how it would be taken.

[Cunningham]

>>the idea that this tiny nation of five million has such huge influence would be laughable if it wasnt always alleged in such a way as to imply precisely the same things the Nazis did, and for that matter still do<<

DSD, maybe it's the lateness of the hour. But I don't understand what you mean here. Could you rephrase it please?

Sean,

>>I doubt very much if she was referring to Israeli Arabs having their "financial grips" on the Western World, and so that only leaves one group of Israelis, doesn't it?<<

I doubt very much if she was referring to Israeli anything! She said: "“The pro-Israeli lobby has got its grips on ..."

The pro-Israeli lobby doesn't have to be, and almost certainly isn't, Israeli of any colour, and of course also doesn't have to be Jewish. (How many of the pro-Israeli crowd on this site, or indeed how many of the present pro-Israeli US Govt, are in fact Jews? - if I may be so absurd as to mention both groups in the same breath!)

>> She knew precisely what she was saying, and how it would be taken<<

Maybe she did ('tho I doubt it), but in any case you certainly don't!

Again, she didn't refer to any group of Israelis.

[alison]

Her remarks refer to a "pro-Israel lobby" as a monolith, something sinister, in language eerily close to that of classic anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, more akin to far right rhetoric than even the lefts nuanced 'nasty imperialists' of the US & Israel doing their dirty work for them. Any reasonable person would conclude anti-Semitism.

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