Berwick upon Tweed & District Trades Union Council

Statement on falsely conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism

2 April 2019

The Council recognises the many advantages to Israel of falsely conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism; the former comprising legitimate opposition to the on-going and brutal oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian people, whereas the latter is, quite rightly, a criminal offence.

The Council also recognises that such false conflation serves Israel, its supporters and apologists, in several ways, the following included;

1.    that of silencing all opposition to Israel’s numerous violations of International Law; including mass-murder, land-theft, child-torture, political assassinations, siege, mass imprisonment without charge or trial, racism, restriction of movement, water-theft, regular gas attacks on schools, regular spraying of ‘skunk-water’ (a foul stench-creating substance) on family homes, illegal settlements, house-demolitions, bombing civilian areas, shooting to intentionally kill children, disabled, medics, journalists as well as defenceless men and women ….. all of which have been verified by independent sources; UN, Save the Children, Amnesty etc.

2.    the silencing, in particular, of those in Britain most opposed to such racist barbarism as described above; namely pro-Palestinian human rights groups, the Left of the Labour Party, the Trade Union Movement, the Peace Movement, anti-Zionist Jewish Groups & individuals, intellectuals, academics and students amongst others.

3.    but most-of-all the discrediting of the long-standing anti-racist and anti-Zionist, Jeremy Corbyn with a view to preventing him becoming Prime Minister.

The Council also notes, with deep concern, the suspension of Chis Williamson from the Labour Party. He is one of the finest left-wing Labour MPs and a long-standing ant-racist campaigner. This false conflation not only damages the cause of anti-racism but serves to discredit the left in general, including trade unionism and socialist solutions to social and economic problems.

It is beholden on all who cherish freedom, justice and equality, to stand up to racism in all its ugly and dehumanising forms, including Zionism and the various other Far Right extremist groups at home and abroad.  

Phil Thompson

Secretary

Berwick upon Tweed & District Trades Union Council