Diane Abbott ‘minimising’ concerns about antisemitism within Labour party, claims Hackney rabbi
“Misunderstanding about my views’: Diane Abbott MP
MP Diane Abbott has been accused of “minimising” concerns over antisemitism in the Labour party by a Hackney rabbi and former Labour councillor.
The shadow secretary of state for international development this month dismissed concerns over antisemitism in the Labour party as “smears”.
However there was uproar at a local Labour party meeting earlier this month when a party activist implied there was a connection between Zionism and Nazism.
Commenting on the incident, former Hackney Labour councillor Rabbi Abraham Pinter said: “A story like this shows that not only is it a serious problem in the party, but that it is a problem right on [Diane Abbott’s] doorstep.
“My main issue is the response of others at the meeting how they were prepared to accept and tolerate that level of racism.
“Just because people are using antisemitism as a stick with which to beat the Labour party doesn’t mean it is not happening.”
“Diane Abbott is minimising the issue within her party in suggesting the problem exists only on the fringes.
“She will condemn fascism in Europe and in general, but she won’t say the Labour party has a problem and Labour has to deal with it.
“She should be taking the lead on the issue. People will listen to her.
“There is a perception that [the Labour party’s leader] Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t taken it seriously enough – he would listen if people like her would say something.
“I need her to say ‘I accept there is an issue with antisemitism in the Labour party’ and not tell me about fascism in Europe or anywhere else in the world.”
Responding to Rabbi Pinter’s accusation, Diane Abbott said: “I think that there is some misunderstanding about my views on antisemitism due to misleading press reports.
“I would never minimise the problem of antisemitism.
“Worldwide we are seeing a rising tide of antisemitism and growing fascist parties.
“In Hackney we have seen Jewish schools having to obtain police protection because of the threats of antisemitic violence.
“However in Jeremy Corbyn the Labour party has a leader with one of the strongest records of fighting racism and antisemitism of anyone I know.”
The party has been engulfed by allegations of antisemitism in recent weeks.
The MP for Bradford West, Naz Shah, and former London Mayor Ken Livingstone have both been suspended from the party for making controversial remarks.
Jeremy Corbyn has launched an independent inquiry into antisemitism within his party, led by Shami Chakrabarti, the former director of the human rights campaign group Liberty.
There, at last, is one word that nears an overdue description of a lot of what Diane Abbott does in her career spots!
Minimises concerns.
She has been at it for longer than the observers of Diane’s current stint may assume!
Im no fan of Abbott, but on this point she is right. This isnt an anti semitic issue (modern caucasian jews are not a semitic people anyway). This is an anti zionist issue. A pro life, pro human rights and pro standing up against crimes against humanity issue.
Any good person would make the same stance. This Rabbi is clearly trying to twist the situation in order to push for a more blairite labour party representation, warmongering and turning a blind eye to israels crimes against humanity.
Rachel, do you also get confused by the fact that Greenland isn’t green, and that woods in a golf bag aren’t made of wood?
And do you realise that the stupidest antisemites (like you) always give themselves away with that ‘antisemitism isn’t prejudice against Jews because most Jews aren’t semites’ argument?
How about we just call people like you ‘Jew haters’. Happy now?
Rachel Barker
How presumptuous of you to tell Jews what is or isn’t antisemitism. The fact you seek to divorce Jews from their Semitic roots speaks volumes.
Antizionism is the denial of Jewish right to self determination while promoting that same right for Palestinians . That is antisemitic . I suggest you take a long hard look at your underlying motives and objectives .
Oh…and by the way Rachel…whilst you’re on the subject of human rights, what do you have to say about this?
http://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-planning-public-executions-in-gaza-strip/
Jonny Warwick, if you are concerned about the stupidest people always giving themselves away, then I’d advise you not to follow through with a predictably distracting link about Hamas.
Since she sent her child to a private school, many years ago, I have carefully ignored her.
Unless, of course, they are not a shegetz but Jewish instead … in which case you accuse them loudly of being a “self-hating Jew”, don’t you?
Those are the usual distraction tactics.
It’s interesting … are you keeping up with the latest DNA research in this area?
In another post, on the other recent article, I wrote about the Left-Right struggle that is going on over the intellectual property, and real estate, of Zionism. One in which the Zionist Far Right is clearly winning at present.
You underline another related struggle, one that has always been part of the Zionist debate, and that is the fight to confuse political Zionism with religious Judaism.
Again, although the political Zionists are most certainly in the ascendancy at present, many Jews and many Israelis reject it outrightly as not Jewish.
Criticism of Israel’s policies – for example, its major role in arming the forces of dictatorial butcher of freedom fighters and peasants in Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile and elsewhere – even the outright criticism of Zionist policies and boycotting of the state due to them, is never anti-semitic.
Those who claim they are, are being deeply dishonest from a spiritual point of view and if a Jew is not spiritual, what are they?
That’s fine but do you think you could try doing your “self determination” without carrying out genocide and ethnic cleansing?
In the old days, we called it “Imperialism”.
hey Johhny what do you have to say about this?
http://www.btselem.org/statistics
I have never liked the expression ‘antisemitism/antisemite’ a much more accurate term would be ‘judophobe/judophobia’. Judophobia existed centuries before the existence of modern Israel and is very much alive and well today.
Diane, shed a lot of pounds and get rid of the silly wig!