The Patron Of The Palestine Solidarity Campaign
May 8, 2019 10:15:11 GMT -5
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Post by fretslider on May 8, 2019 10:15:11 GMT -5
Jeremy Corbyn is facing calls to quit as patron of a pro-Palestinian lobbying group after an Evening Standard investigation found campaigners sharing a swathe of “malevolent” anti-Semitic propaganda.
The Labour leader has been closely associated for two decades with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. PSC says it fights racism and is the largest organisation in the UK dedicated to securing Palestinian human rights.
However, close inspection of local PSC branches across the country reveals activists are sharing anti-Semitic cartoons of Jews and conspiracy theories about Israel controlling the world.
A Standard investigation found such images as a cartoon comparing Israeli Jews with white power neo-Nazis, an ugly caricature of a Jew sowing hand grenades in a field, and an image of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu bathing in Palestinian blood posing with Adolf Hitler.
All were posted in the name of local branches of the PSC, despite the organisation insisting it is “unequivocally” opposed to anti-Semitism.
Another post attacked Mr Corbyn’s deputy, Tom Watson, who has called for anti-Semitism to be rooted out of Labour, calling him an “agent” of the Israeli state. It is another blow to Mr Corbyn after months of criticism over his handling of anti-Jewish abuse.
Amanda Bowman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, described the posts as “anti-Jewish racism” and added: “Jeremy Corbyn must now publicly disassociate himself from this malevolent group.”
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Nine MPs quit the Labour Party this year, many citing the leadership’s handling of anti-Semitism.
One, Ian Austin, said: “Jeremy Corbyn can’t dismiss the shocking evidence uncovered by the Standard’s investigation and no one will believe he is campaigning for peace when he only ever speaks to one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Many of the posts breach the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism, adopted by Labour in full last year.
Mr Corbyn has spoken at PSC events, led marches and handed in petitions to No 10 on behalf of the group, whose aims include an end to the “Israeli occupation of Palestine”.
The Labour Party declined to comment. The PSC said it “takes accusations of anti-Semitism very seriously and has procedures in place to address such allegations … including the implementation of disciplinary sanctions”. It said its “values of anti-racism and anti-discrimination” are reflected in its guidance for members.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/swathe-of-antisemitic-abuse-is-uncovered-at-group-backed-by-jeremy-corbyn-a4136681.html
The Labour Party declined to comment Yes, it's a difficult one.