SUDDENLY, the media’s focus in the UK has shifted from the June 23 referendum on Britain’s place in the European Union to charges of anti-Semitism levelled against the Labour Party. The trigger was provided by Naz Shah, the Labour MP who defeated George Galloway in Bradford West to become one of the rising stars of the party. Until she was forced to resign (and then was suspended from the party), Ms Shah was an assistant to the shadow Chancellor.

The disgraced MP has a compelling back-story: of Pakistani origin, she was mistreated by her mother’s partner and sent back to Lahore as a young girl where she was forced into a marriage with an abusive and violent husband. She finally escaped and returned to the UK where she became active in politics in Bradford. Her humiliating downfall came when an old Facebook post was found that critics saw as proof of her anti-Semitism. Ms Shah had posted a map of Israel superimposed on America’s, and suggested that by moving the country to its protector’s shores, the whole Palestinian issue would be solved.

This created such a firestorm that Ms Shah was forced into a grovelling apology to the House of Commons. A few hours later, Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, suspended her from the party. To compound Labour’s problems, the next morning Ken Livingstone, in an attempt to defend Ms Naz before the media, made the bizarre assertion that “until he went mad”, Hitler had supported Judaism. Even if this was historically true, to equate the architect of the Holocaust that killed millions of Jews with Judaism was political suicide. This self-defeating intervention came just ahead of the mayoral race in London where the Labour candidate — also a Muslim of Pakistani descent — had a good chance. He might still win, but it won’t be thanks to Ken Livingstone.

Although Livingstone is a member of Labour’s National Executive Committee and a close friend and ally of Corbyn, he could hardly have got away with this totally outlandish claim. He, too, has been duly suspended from the party, pending an inquiry. Two Labour Party members holding seemingly anti-Semitic views has inevitably led to the charge that such opinions are widely held in Labour. It is true that many in the party are pro-Palestine, and are therefore very critical of Israel and its repressive policies, as well as its illegal occupation of the West Bank.

There is now a debate over the use of ‘Zionists’ as a code word for ‘Jews’. Indeed, many Israelis and their supporters have been complaining that criticism of their country, too, is a form of anti-Semitism. Jeremy Corbyn, Ken Livingstone and others insist that this is a way of shutting down criticism of Israel, and chilling the debate over its occupation. So for supporters of Israel in the UK and elsewhere, Naz Shah’s ill-considered Facebook post (sent out before she was elected) has been a godsend, and has placed Palestinian supporters on the back foot.

This controversy comes at a time of growing anti-Semitism in France. Thousands of French Jews have migrated to the United States, Britain and Israel. The reason for their exodus is growing insecurity, and increasing attacks on Jews. Synagogues and graves have been defiled, and individuals have been knifed and beaten up. While most of the assailants have been members of France’s large Muslim population, the right-wing National Front has traditionally been home to many anti-Semites. And France still has to live down the infamy of transporting tens of thousands of Jews to Nazi Germany to be gassed to death. Most of the victims were handed over to the Gestapo by their neighbours.

One reason for the backlash against perceived anti-Semitism is that over many years, European Jews have become completely integrated into society, and have made a huge contribution to commerce, literature and the arts. The community has also been at the heart of the Labour Party for decades, so it was no surprise that Corbyn said:

“Labour is an anti-racist party to its core and has a long and proud history of standing against racism, including anti-Semitism. I have campaigned against racism all my life, and the Jewish community has been at the heart of the Labour party and progressive politics in Britain for more than a hundred years.”

In order to set at rest the impression that he has tolerated anti-Jewish sentiments in his party, Corbyn has set up an independent inquiry into anti-Semitism headed by Shami Chakrabarti, the previous head of Liberty, a human rights non-governmental organisation. Although Labour is under the microscope at the moment, the truth is that anti-Semitism and racism are still present in many levels of British society: even though it is illegal and politically incorrect to openly voice such sentiments, they do surface from time to time in some of the grandest homes in the land.

A sign of hardening attitudes on the left comes from students — many of them Labour supporters — who call Jewish fellow students “Zios”. They can claim this is a criticism of Zionism which is a political movement; their opponents insist that the expression merely conceals their anti-Semitism.

Whatever the truth, the fact is that the whole question of Zionism and Judaism is now a tricky minefield. Specially in today’s prickly environment, supporters of Palestinians and critics of Israel will have to choose their words with great care. Ironically, the left in Britain finds itself united with Islamists in the country who, almost unanimously, have strong pro-Palestinian views that makes anti-Semitism their default position.

In Pakistan, of course, few make any distinction between Judaism and Zionism. Our schoolbooks are full of poisonous anti-Jewish views, and drawing room conversations contain many references to dark Jewish conspiracies. But we forget that many Western Jews oppose Israel’s occupation and want nothing to do with its politics. And yet they would defend the country’s right to exist, something many Muslims deny. This extreme view strengthens Western support that sees Israel surrounded by enemies who want to wipe it off the map.

irfan.husain@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2016

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