A Remark on Israel by Jeremy Corbyn Incites Outrage in Britain and Abroad

[ericson00]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/world/europe/jeremy-corbyn-labour-antisemitism.html?_r=0

LONDON — Trying to address accusations of anti-Semitism in Britain’s opposition Labour Party, its embattled leader, Jeremy Corbyn, provoked more outrage on Thursday by comparing Israel to “self-styled Islamic states or organizations.”

Mr. Corbyn’s comment drew instant condemnation from colleagues and Israeli politicians, who initially believed that he had said “Islamic State” rather than Islamic states. But members of his staff insisted that he had been referring to countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia — which are not self-styled and generally are called “Muslim nations” — or to organizations like Hamas. (Israelis would hardly be mollified by the clarification, given that Hamas is a Palestinian group classified as terrorist by Britain and the United States.)

The comment was made at the public introduction of a report on anti-Semitism within the Labour Party that had been ordered after two senior figures in the party — Naseem Shah, a lawmaker, and Ken Livingstone, a former mayor of London — were suspended in April over what was deemed to be anti-Israel commentary.

Disgusting. No wonder why Labour was impotent on the Brexit.

[840high]

1. WTH?

[LeftishBrit]

2. What Corbyn actually said...

was:

"Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel or the Netanyahu Government than our Muslim friends are for those of various self-styled Islamic states or organisations."

This was not well expressed, but it is not what the article is implying! What he is comparing is acts of bigotry in blaming people in one country for what a government or organization of similar religion/ethnicity has done somewhere else. He was not saying that the governments or organizations are necessarily similar. And he meant any Islamic state or organization; not ISIS.

By the way, 59% of British Jews voted against Brexit.