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There are competing motions to Green Party conference. One to adopt IHRA, one to actively campaign against it. An advocate of the latter complained that they'd been falsely accused of anti-Semitism and I think is a good example of the fine line, one which I think they crossed. 1)
Before I start, I want to make clear that I support BDS against anybody involved in the OPT and think that the Israeli government is a far-right, racist group. I stand squarely with Palestinians, Bedouins, Ethiopian Jews and all others victimised by that government. 2)
So this person, who I won't name and will explain why at the end, ran for a senior position in the party. Part of their policy pitch was "stop selling arms around the world and particularly to Israel". So why "particularly Israel"? 3)
Here is a list of total arms licenses approved since 2008. I hope you can see where I'm going with this.
https://old.caat.org.uk/resources/export-licences/value-by-destination
4)
https://old.caat.org.uk/resources/export-licences/value-by-destination
4)
Israel is 20th on that list. A very abridged extract of some of the countries above Israel:
- Saudi Arabia, currently bombing and starving Yemenis
- USA, #BlackLivesMatter
- Turkey, violently suppressing Kurds
- India, Muslims aren't safe, especially in Kashmir and Jammu
5)
- Saudi Arabia, currently bombing and starving Yemenis
- USA, #BlackLivesMatter
- Turkey, violently suppressing Kurds
- India, Muslims aren't safe, especially in Kashmir and Jammu
5)
- Indonesia, natives on many islands are being wiped out
That list is very far from complete and not exactly nuanced, but I hope it highlights that Israel's atrocities, and they are many, are not unique in this world, nor especially equipped by the UK. 6)
That list is very far from complete and not exactly nuanced, but I hope it highlights that Israel's atrocities, and they are many, are not unique in this world, nor especially equipped by the UK. 6)
So, why "particularly Israel"? What leads a candidate to single out that country above all others? I don't think it's a hatred of Jews, which is why they refute the claim of anti-Semitism, but I do think it's based on tropes and ideas that have anti-Semitism embedded. 7)
The Israeli government is not uniquely evil, the occupation of Palestine is not unparalleled. They're allies of the UK, sure, but so are all of those countries above them. They're a (flawed) democracy, but so are the majority on the list. 8)
If you single them out then you've found some unique trait that doesn't apply to the other countries who we sell more to, and frankly I only see one, Israel's Jewish majority. I'd be very keem to hear if someone can find another. 9)
That's why I think it's fair for people to find that policy pitch anti-Semitic.
I won't act and raise a complaint, because it's a singular statement, not a pattern, because I don't think it would help the fight against AS, because the claim would be weaponised. 10)
I won't act and raise a complaint, because it's a singular statement, not a pattern, because I don't think it would help the fight against AS, because the claim would be weaponised. 10)
But I hope they read this, see why the accusation isn't false, and apologise. I hope they accept that the motion to adopt IHRA with guidance is well intentioned, not "group-think". I hope, but without optimism. 11/11
Addendum: There's a clear overlap between people doubling down when justly accused of an anti-Semitic action, and doing the same with a transphobic one. I really wish people could just apologise, listen, and learn, instead of finding comfort in bigotry.
