People are “justifiably angry” that Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) decided to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, Jewish Socialists’ Group’s Julia Bard said after the NEC voted to do so on September 4.
Jewish Socialists’ Group activist David Rosenberg said it was “no doubt a significant setback” for Jeremy Corbyn’s allies but, despite the adoption of the definition and all its 11 examples, pro-Israel MPs and groups are hesitant to call it a victory.
Rosenberg said the pro-Israel Jewish Leadership Council first welcomed the adoption announcement, before changing its statement to complain that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wanted an add-on promise to protect freedom of speech to criticise Israel.
He said: “If our opponents are reduced to complaining about Labour’s commitment to free speech, it makes their agendas of promoting censorship and outlawing views other than their own even more transparent.”
[Abridged from Morning Star Online.]