[Closed] Ken Livingstone steps in to calm antisemitism row in the Labour Party.

Worth remembering that much of the Land on which Israel was built was bought fair and square from the Palestinians

Worth remembering that a whole lot more of it wasn't.

right up until the point it became a US puppet right wing state.

The US isn't particularly a huge fan of the current Israel state. In the past the US has spied on Israel as they don't trust them and also gone to big measures to stop them getting involved with Iran and the like. When Obama wanted to bring Iran back in from the cold, he did it without support from Israel. John Kerry said when he went to tell Netanyahu up front what was planned, Netanyahu briefed the press first against the US policy, then screamed at Kerry for 30 minutes, in what Kerry described as the most unpleasant meeting he'd ever been in.

Probably the only road map to peace would be to lock the Israelis and relevant surrounding Arab countries in a room, along with the 5 UN security council members and hammer out a deal. But due to various self interests that ain't going to happen.

Worth remembering that much of the Land on which Israel was built was bought fair and square from the Palestinians

Worth remembering that a whole lot more of it wasn't.

No, it was ceded in battle after unsuccessful attempts at wholeescale ethnic cleansing of the Jews by the surrounding arab states.

edit:

@ Junky - go on then.... or are we witnessing another Junkyardtastic history fail?

"Probably the only road map to peace would be to lock the Israelis and relevant surrounding Arab countries in a room, along with the 5 UN security council members and hammer out a deal. But due to various self interests that ain't going to happen."

Or for both sides to stop any kind of violent act immediately and permanently and sort out the details of a deal afterwards at their leisure. That ain't gonna happen either.

Unfortunately what you say is true. It needs brave people on both sides to sue for peace. Neither side has the appetite for this

are we witnessing another Junkyardtastic history fail?

“In 1948, at the moment that Israel declared itself a state, it legally owned a little more than 6 percent of the land of Palestine

Our position, however, is that the Palestinians have a real grievance: their homeland for over a thousand years was taken, without their consent and mostly by force, during the creation of the state of Israel. And all subsequent crimes — on both sides — inevitably follow from this original injustice.

I am not engaging further as not even you really believe that to be a true reflection of what happened and if you do its because you are wrong

Save your google fu

The US isn't particularly a huge fan of the current Israel state

Still gives them about $3Bn a year in military aid though
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.611001
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/stat/usaid.html
"In per capita terms, the United States gives each Israeli a direct subsidy worth about $500 per year. This largesse is especially striking when one realizes that Israel is now a wealthy industrial state with a per capita income roughly equal to South Korea or Spain."

Every few years Israel uses it's weapons (such as its US built planes, "the purchase of 20 F-35 fighter planes for $2.7 billion – will be financed entirely by aid money") to flatten Gaza. The world, via the UN which of course includes the US, then promises, and breaks its promises to rebuild Gaza.

"original injustice."

As with Ireland, which injustice is the "original" one is totally subjective. That's just one more reason why you need to ignore the issue of blame altogether or you get nowhere. South Africa got it right IMHO.

which injustice is the "original" one is totally subjective. That's just one more reason why you need to ignore the issue of blame altogether or you get nowhere. South Africa got it right IMHO.

There's some truth in that. AAMOI what do you think it would take for the Israelis to agree to that approach? They have rejected every overture as inadequate.

As with Ireland, which injustice is the "original" one is totally subjective

One lot were people who lived somewhere and the other lot were people who took the land and partitioned the country using military force and use this military force to maintain the divided state. Its really not hard at all. See Iran v kuwait if you want to ponder on whether such things are good or bad of "hard to tell".

Its very clear cut who was the original violator and who were the victims

“Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French...What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any moral code of conduct...If they [the Jews] must look to the Palestine of geography as their national home, it is wrong to enter it under the shadow of the British gun. A religious act cannot be performed with the aid of the bayonet or the bomb. They can settle in Palestine only by the goodwill of the Arabs... As it is, they are co-sharers with the British in despoiling a people who have done no wrong to them. I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non-violence in resisting what they rightly regard as an unacceptable encroachment upon their country. But according to the accepted canons of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds.” Mahatma Gandhi, quoted in “A Land of Two Peoples” ed. Mendes-Flohr.

israel has been very effective in making "peace on the ground" to the extent that going back to original borders, which they wont do, would feel like them "giving something up". they are still expansionist now. Of course they say its for "peace" just like we split Ireland for "peace".

"AAMOI what do you think it would take for the Israelis to agree to that approach?"

Presumably Israel will stop fighting when the Arabs stop fighting and the Arabs will stop fighting when the Israelis have been 'driven into the sea'.

I could be wrong about that, but if I'm right it would explain why its been impossible to end the cycle of violence.

Doubtlessly the lack of acceptance of a two state solution by many arabs/palestinians is a major bar to any peace deal

Treating them this way is unlikely to lead to a change of heart.
Israel strategy is to contain and continue to steal land.
We then support them from "terrorist" who dont like this.

The US gives military support to Israel to enable it to defend itself against the likes of Iran who have stated they want to wipe it off the map. And lets not forget Israels neighbours are hardly friends as past history shows.

It should also be remembered that the US also gives significant money and military assistance to the likes of Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi

One lot were people who lived somewhere and the other lot were people who took the land and partitioned the country using military force

Utter codswallop - go and read the Peel Commission report, Arab violence against jewish settlers long predated any of this.

Non sequitur
Unless you wish to argue Israel came into being peacefully and without the use of force that resulted in a partition country then the point stands
You are way of your game today

[img] [/img]

Nothing to see here, ladies and gentlemen and I'm sure that he can't be racist because:
[s]One of his friends is black[/s]
[s]He is a Labour councillor[/s]
[s]His dog ate his homework[/s]
It is all a slur against the labour party.

What the story there as that is a picture from twitter of someone from 2015 that seems to have grabbed your attention.

What is the context/story - I dont do twitter.

[url= http://order-order.com/2016/05/02/labour-councillor-israel-behind-isis-zionist-jews-are-a-disgrace-to-humanity/ ]http://order-order.com/2016/05/02/labour-councillor-israel-behind-isis-zionist-jews-are-a-disgrace-to-humanity/[/url]

Edit, it is the story after:

[url= http://order-order.com/2016/05/02/labour-suspends-relocate-jews-councillor/ ]http://order-order.com/2016/05/02/labour-suspends-relocate-jews-councillor/[/url]

Ta
His views are bonkers

Did you comment on Kimbers list of similar incidents involving Tories?

Still not proof its endemic and I genuinely dont think either labour or tory has anything other than handful of nutters amongst there many hundred of thousands of members/supporters

Its correct to weed them out wherever we find them
its not correct to pretend racism is left only issue.

The comments section from that site are quite telling. Easy to see the types of people it's there for.

Quite hilarious. We have lefties saying the BBC is a blairite infested termite mound over-reporting endemic anti-semitism and on the likes of Guido, which seems set up for right-wing nut-jobs, saying that the BBC is a big left-wing conspiracy not reporting endemic anti-semitism at all.

Meanwhile, nothing of real importance to the country is discussed in earnest.

The US gives military support to Israel to enable it to defend itself against the likes of Iran who have stated they want to wipe it off the map. And lets not forget Israels neighbours are hardly friends as past history shows.

It should also be remembered that Iran would be very different today if not for repeated interference by Western interests to control their oil, including [url= https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=operation+Ajax&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=Uj4nV4OcIIPeUfKVgOAG ]the 1953 coup set up by MI6 and the CIA[/url], involving some of the very same players who hold responsibility for bringing the Nazis to power, which also played a big part in the creation of Israel

The coup was carried out by the U.S. administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower [b]in a covert action advocated by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, and implemented under the supervision of his brother Allen Dulles, the Director of Central Intelligence.[76] The coup was organized by the United States' CIA and the United Kingdom's MI6[/b], two spy agencies that aided royalists and royalist elements of the Iranian army.

Its correct to weed them out wherever we find them
its not correct to pretend racism is left only issue.

1. I agree of course.
2. There's a fair bit in the last 12 pages of people trying to pretend that there isn't a problem on the left at all, when of course, both political extremes have issues and are driven more by anger and hate than they should be.

I think folk are deny their is a problem- its been called endemic by the more vocal RW on here- because there is no endemic problem in either party

there are isolated cases of nobbers in each party, that show that racists are both everywhere and a very small minority.
Its not a left issue and its obvious, in general, that racism is much more a right wing issue than a left wing issue.

Ots about the upcoming mayoral and local elections rather than deep seated fear or evidence of widespread anti semitism in the labour party

hence we get a few year old tweets from a lowly councillor in Blackburn.

Lets not overstate the issue for political gain.

You shouldn't need to be on any side of a political ideology to know what the state of Israel is doing to the Palestinians is plain wrong.

Use whatever fancy words you like, but the simple one is "wrong".

It should also be remembered that the US also gives significant money and military assistance to the likes of Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi

Significant? Per http://us-foreign-aid.insidegov.com/ (last figures they seem to have are 2012 unfortunately. Military assistance shown only -

Israel $3,100,059,524
Saudi $9.000
Turkey $4,447,100
Kuwait $227,000

"You shouldn't need to be on any side of a political ideology to know what the state of Israel is doing to the Palestinians is plain wrong."

Two sets of wrong happen.

You only mention one set of wrong things.

You understand why people (probably incorrectly) think that the reason you omit the other wrong set is race?

outofbreath - Member
...You understand why people (probably incorrectly) think that the reason you omit the other wrong set is race?

Well seeing as most Israelis are of recent European origin, no.

And if not, in that case are not both groups Semitic?

What I see is a group of people who have invaded another's country bleating that they are being hard done by when anyone voices a complaint against their aggression.

It's beyond race/religion. On one hand you have a powerful western backed and wealthy invader, on the other an oppressed and poor original population.

If you want an example of anti-Jewishness, then maybe take a look at the keenness of the European governments to dump their Jewish populations in someone else's country instead of protecting them at home.

You only mention one set of wrong things

You understand why people (probably incorrectly) think that the reason you omit the other wrong set is race?

I'm quite happy to condemn Israels actions, but equally the Arab surrounding nations have and continue to behave appallingly. The place is a flipping mess, with too much tit for tat and not enough talking.

simons_nicolai-uk your link shows that the US give plenty of cash to surrounding Arab states also. Plus it fails to note assistance in kind, such as intelligence sharing with the Saudi's.

Personally I believe the West would ideally have a Middle East where everyone got along, provided that Russian and Chinese interests were not excessive.

as long as we get the oil we would tolerate anything

There is precious little morality in our foreign policy

I think most reasonable folk accept both sides do bad things

i think where we fall apart i that some think that any people would behave as the palestinians do if the same was done to them and some think israel is the victim of terrorism and Arab neighbours who despise her

There is some truth to both sides but the israeli treatment of the palestinians can never ever lead to peace.

Dragon - come back with some specifics. You said they gave "significant" military aid to 3 specific countries. The amounts for two of them are completely insignificant. The third is only smaller by a factor of 12.

"Personally I believe the West would ideally have a Middle East where everyone got along"

I think so too.

...but it's hard to tell that from our actions in recent years.

There is some truth to both sides but the israeli treatment of the palestinians can never ever lead to peace.

and

There is some truth to both sides but the Palastinian treatment of the Israelis can never ever lead to peace.

That is the sad truth of it - the extremists on both sides are as bad as each other and keep chosing violence over peace, just as both sides did in Northern Ireland for far too long. It takes an aweful lot of squinting to look at one side and see it as an innocent victim of the other.

"Yes they cannot defend what Israel does so they cheaply insinuate you are racist."

It would be very easy to counter that false claim if all criticism was of both sides, instead of just one.

"It takes an aweful lot of squinting to look at one side and see it as an innocent victim of the other"

Nicely put.

but the Palastinian treatment of the Israelis can never ever lead to peace

Cool put up your address and I will be around to kick you out, take your possessions, make say 25 % of the occupants leave and never return and then remind you afterwards[ whilst i am treating you brutally and punishing your entire family, restricting your access to food, water, electricity, healthcare and education] if one of you responds it will be your fault we cannot live in peace
I am sure you will find it a persuasive argument.

It takes an aweful lot of squinting to look at one side and see it as an innocent victim of the other.

It would be very easy to counter that false claim

Feel free to use the thread as example

Anyway its the end game now where all the zionist now try to argue that its the "pro palestinian" who are all one sided.
Your criticism of israel is indeed pretty damn harsh. careful now someone will be calling you a racist if you[s] keep this up[/s] start 🙄

Unfortunately its not about "choosing peace" it about choosing not to be oppressed and all nations would respond as the palestinians do if they were treated how the israelis treat them as would you if i took your house.
That they do this and breach international law is why they get more of the "blame"
No one is blameless.

you said they gave "significant" military aid to 3 specific countries.

For example currently the US assistance to Saudi includes targeting assistance and mid-air refueling of fighter jets, along with weapons sales. I'm not getting onto a who gets what in $, it was merely to point out that although Israel do get a lot of military assistance from the US, so do many of their surrounding Arab neighbours, and the US and Israel aren't in bed with each other as much as many claim.

Lots of interesting stuff but still little evidence of KL being anything other than (a bit of) a prat. This is still a Labour Party issue - it's their mayoral candidate who is being vociferous, they are the party who have suspended a party grandee and supporter of its leader - and apart from making a pigs ear of managing this, they have said nothing that justifies the accusation made. Pretty lame defence against lazy (internal) slurs. Bloody mess.

For once they might be glad for a little princess stealing the front pages

"Unfortunately its not about "choosing peace" it about choosing not to be oppressed and all nations would respond as the palestinians do if they were treated how the israelis treat them as would you if i took your house."

You sound quite enthusiastic about both sides fighting on like all nations would.

I think you'll have your wish though. This is never going to stop.

You sound quite enthusiastic about both sides fighting on like all nations would.

I suppose it was either that or admit the obvious undeniable truth of what I said.
Still dont let the lack of an argument dent your fervour.

I suppose it was either that or admit the obvious undeniable truth of what I said.
Still dont let the lack of an argument dent your fervour.

I didn't dispute the truth of it, I fully accept it as is clear from my response. Any 'nation' who felt a neighbour had taken territory would fight to get it back and any nation attacked with missiles would try to stop it happening/retaliate.

But yes, I'm saying it's far better to take the view that, although a case can be made for carrying on the slaughter, it's better if they just stop.

I fully accept it as is clear from my response

Please feel free to repeat in bold the bit where this happened as its not obvious to me you were agreeing with me...can't think why 😕

You sound quite enthusiastic about both sides fighting on like all nations would.

I think you'll have your wish though. This is never going to stop.

What happens when you dont accept what I say then?

with weapons sales. I'm not getting onto a who gets what in $,

Come on. Surely you can do better than that? Weapons *sales* are trade not aid. If the us wouldn't supply them other countries would queue up - euro fighter would have loved that business. The rest of it is completely unquantified

3bn of military aid to a country that uses it to murder children and bomb civilians. That's what we're talking about here.

outofbreath - Member

any nation attacked with missiles would try to stop it happening/retaliate.

OK, but what's interesting here is... well, Operation Cast Lead followed the quietest period on the border this century, an uneasy 4 months of near-peace which the IDF broke more often and more damagingly than the Palestinians. That lead to the US publically praising Hamas for their efforts to keep the peace...

5 days later, tanks in the Gaza Strip to, quote, "Send Hamas a message". And that escalated and led to a resumption of hostilities and a [i]13150%[/i] increase in rocket attacks.

That doesn't seem like they were trying to stop rocket attacks. A cynic might say the opposite. B'tselem calculated that 79% of all breaks of ceasefire come from the IDF, and 8% from Hamas...

I'm confused. You are still all talking about allotments aren't you?

😀

One of the greatest speeches of all time:

We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...

You can only admire the people who have the courage to do so.

dragon - Member
...and the US and Israel aren't in bed with each other as much as many claim.

A few billion$$ is hardly a bit on the side...

Cool put up your address and I will be around to kick you out

Hmmm, does it make a difference that I bought this place with proper money and everything ? And who does this apartment get given "back" to ?

The dutch person who sold it to me ?
My son, for whom this has been the only home he has ever known ?
The farmer who sold the land to the developer?
Hans from Hamburg, who's granddad used to camp around these parts in the good old days ?
The Spanish who invaded Holland ?
Luigi from Rome who's rather distant relative enslaved the locals and had their womenfolk off to the slave market ?

Or is there a particular time, say six-thirty-five of a Tuesday evening of a particular year where, if we could magically turn back the clock, everything would be fair and right and the people who you've aligned yourself with would get the [i]RIGHT[/i] and [i]FAIR[/i] outcome ?

The fact is that Israel is staying where it is ( and it should stay where it is* ). You can work with that in mind to bring both sides together to hammer out a deal that they both grumble about, in peace, or you can pick a side and a random time and never be part of the solution - at best you'll spend the rest of your life ****ing your gums and helping in a tiny way to continue suffering and hatred and fear on both sides.

As a mental exercise, can I suggest you sit down and think of 5 things that have been done in the name of the Palestinian cause that you think are disgusting - you don't need to list them here, but it might be good for you to start thinking in terms other than right vs. wrong, good vs. bad, white vs. black, Japs vs. Commandos.

No one wanted to be a Jap when we played as kids as they were [b]The Bad Ones[/b].

Oh and when you do come knocking, be prepared for the vicious Bengal guard cats - you're going to get a proper padding.

Shall I put the kettle on ?

* The settlement program is not justifiable.

That doesn't seem like they were trying to stop rocket attacks. A cynic might say the opposite.

If Israel want rocket attacks isn't that all the more reason to stop rocket attacks? - If Hamas are provoking Israel, Israel shouldn't respond, the same logic dictates that if, in fact, Hamas are being provoked *by* Israel then Hamas shouldn't respond*.

Either way, thinking up reasons why one side are right to attack the other isn't helping. You can easily justify continued bloodshed - far better to make the case for ending it.

*Same with 9/11: if a bunch of Saudi nutters attack you in the hope that you'll kick off a holy war, it's probably better not to go along with the plan.

You can only admire the people who have the courage to do so.

I'd like to think that if WW2 was still going on that after 75 years of endless slaughter and horror we might say "Tell you what, you can keep half of Poland as long as we can all stop fighting forever."

In fact, we didn't go to war with Russia which is pretty much letting them have Poland and a fair bit else purely so we didn't have to keep fighting.

Endless war is miserable, even if you think your cause is just.

Admiring their ability to tenaciously kill each other over decades is easy from a few thousand miles away, I'm not sure you'd be so enthusiastic if you live there.

cranberry - Member
...but it might be good for you to start thinking in terms other than right vs. wrong, good vs. bad, white vs. black, Japs vs. Commandos.

No one wanted to be a Jap when we played as kids as they were The Bad Ones...

It's very much about right vesus wrong though.

It's wrong to invade someone else's country, and it's right for them to resist. Hope that's cleared it up for you.

Oh, and the "Japs" really were the bad guys...

The fact is that Israel is staying where it is ( and it should stay where it is* ). You can work with that in mind to bring both sides together to hammer out a deal that they both grumble about, in peace, or you can pick a side and a random time and never be part of the solution

You answered this yourself - Israel is NOT staying where it is, and never has. If it did, probably there would be some vestiges of peace already.

The fact is that Israel is staying where it is ( and it should stay where it is* ). You can work with that in mind to bring both sides together.

think of 5 things that have been done in the name of the Palestinian cause that you think are disgusting

Again both sides do bad things I dont obfuscate or ask you a tricky question about israel i accept the point and agree as its blindingly bloody obvious. Try it with a zionist, can I recommend Jamby as your first attempt?

Look at outofbreaths dancing to avoid criticising israel rather than try this with me,pretty please

Its an armed struggle [b]both sides[/b] are often acting like ****s.

However this remains true for all people

It's wrong to invade someone else's country, and it's right for them to resist. Hope that's cleared it up for you

it's right for them to resist

If they both resist really well this could still be going in another 4000 years....

Maybe those pussies in South Africa/Ireland should kick off again? After all it's wrong to stop killing when you know your cause is the right one.

Straw man ad homs galore.

Do you think the black people were justified in arms resistance against the South African govt ?

If we still had apartheid would they have stopped?

I wonder how you will choose to avoid answering those questions.

They only stop killing when they think or they do achieve their legitimate political goals. If you want peace its going to require a little more than just asking both sides nicely to stop.

You answered this yourself - Israel is NOT staying where it is, and never has.

See also:

That is the sad truth of it - the extremists on both sides are as bad as each other and keep chosing violence over peace, just as both sides did in Northern Ireland for far too long. It takes an aweful lot of squinting to look at one side and see it as an innocent victim of the other.

Look at outofbreaths dancing to avoid criticising israel

Why would I need to criticize either side?

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I'd quite like it to stop.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but I'd quite like it to stop.

Indeed.

I hope you don't think me pro-Zionist - because I am not. I grew up thinking Israel to be bravely fighting against overwhelmingly bad neighbours, That outlook died long ago - the worst of them are entirely as bad as the worst of the Palestinians.

The best of either side deserve a much better life than they have any right to expect if things continue as they are.

My point is that being pro-<whateverside> is not helping and never will help to improve things.

I hope that you are thinking about that list out of sight/earshot of whomever on here you don't want to share it with.

@ cranbery why have you not just explicitly agreed with the obvious truth that Israelis borders have been expansionist and turned it round to a both sides do bad things?

Put it in your hypothetical list if you like 🙄

Its still wrong to steal peoples land by military force, ignore international orders and UN resolutions and r settle in these areas

The reason the Un are against it is because it leads to this sort of shit for hundreds of years.

yes both sides do bad things so lets just ignore that as it will almost certainly aid the peace process and in no way elicits the behaviour of fighting them on the beaches.

I hope that you are thinking about that list out of sight/earshot of whomever on here you don't want to share it with.

Might want to re read your own post as you never asked me to share it with anyone on here either - you were very explicit on that point but hey why not use it for yet another shitty personal dig eh 🙄

I suspect we could all easily list 50 atrocities[ not the zionists its all the palestinians fault] done by both sides

outofbreath - Member

If Israel want rocket attacks isn't that all the more reason to stop rocket attacks? - If Hamas are provoking Israel, Israel shouldn't respond, the same logic dictates that if, in fact, Hamas are being provoked *by* Israel then Hamas shouldn't respond*.

That's what happened, for 4 months. This apparently upset the Israelis, so they invaded. TBF, the precedent suggests more that Hamas need to figure out the [i]correct[/i] number of rockets. If things get too quiet and the international community notices, then shit hits the fan.

I hope you are going to ask a zionist and re read my post

I don't suppose you know where I could find a partial, bigotted fool who can only see one side of an argument, do you ?

a mirror

you missed this bit from the full quote

why not use it for yet another shitty personal dig eh

Again well done engaging on the issue and points raised by simply name calling.

Dont let that make you consider the paucity of your argument as its definitely the sign of a fatal flaw in my character, rather than your viewpoint.

a mirror

😆

The best of either side deserve a much better life than they have any right to expect if things continue as they are.

My point is that being pro-<whateverside> is not helping and never will help to improve things.

This.

It's a fair point~ ultimately, there are many good people on both sides, whose lives are being degraded by the aggressors in the conflict... however, things get trickier when the aggressors in the conflict include the government themselves and a program of indoctrination:

So know we know from a Telegragph piece that 50 Labour Party members (including senior figures like council leaders) have been suspended as a result of anti-semitism in the past 2 months. Know we know why the first two investigations have been kicked into the long grass (suppressed). The other factor to come to light is that many of tehse anti-semites have joined Labour to support Corbyn's leadership, it makes sense if you are anti-semitic you want to see a leader who gives credibility and shows repect to Hezbollah and Hamas.

#jambyslur
#jewhatingterroristsympathiser
#oldandtired

By contrast, it's interesting how little media coverage and discussion there's been regarding [url= http://www.****/news/article-3564798/Charges-loom-election-probe-Police-told-election-watchdog-prepared-prosecute-dozens-Tory-candidates-officials-spending-limit-breaches.html ]the possibility of a new general election triggered by Conservative Party candidates breaking Electoral laws[/url]:

Police have been instructed by the election watchdog to be ready to prosecute dozens of Tory candidates and officials.

The Conservative Party is facing damaging claims that it breached strict spending rules in a string of key marginal seats at last year's General Election.

Deliberate breach of spending limits by individual candidates – usually around £15,000 – is a criminal offence punishable by a fine or even a one-year jail term.

Any candidate found guilty would automatically be barred from holding public office for three years, triggering a new election.

Still, that being the case, probably best to have a bloody good go at getting a more Establishment focused labour leader such as David Miliband (allegedly) in place before Her Majesty's Government election 2.0

Number of Labour members = over 180000
Number of suspensions quoted = 50
Number of suspensions that led to expulsions = we don't know. Being investigated isn't a crime.
Number of those suspended who have joined since Corbyn was elected = we have no clue. But it's to be expected that most people suspended for breaching party standards will be new, of course. So what we want to know is, is there an unusual pattern here.

Now you have to also ask how many people have been suspended from other parties? That's not "whataboutery"- member suspension is perfectly normal party activity, parties have open doors so anyone can wander in and have to be kicked out. (I'm a Labour member ffs and I support the SNP...)

But I had a google and found a Tory MP candidate suspended for conspiring with the EDL to create anti-islamic tension, one suspended over the Elliot Johnson case, a councillor and another MP candidate suspended for homophobia, a councillor suspended for linking the SNP to ISIS... Oh, and a conservative association deputy chairman and council candidate suspended for antisemitism.

That's just the first 2 pages of google... But of course, most suspensions are unreported. And it's not that they're secret, it's that they're not news- "dude you've never heard of suspended" "1 in 3600 party members turns out to be a dick". And as mentioned, most will be new- they join, they get found out, they get kicked.

I wonder if there's any figures out there for party suspensions in general? I know the SNP suspended a few recently. Even UKIP do it... It's probably impossible to get suspended from the Liberals, you can lie to your electorate to save your seat and that's fine after all.

Appreciate this could seem whatabouteryish but the point is about understanding the big picture.

A well worded somethingion of the situation LIKES
its interesting we have the usual RW suspects shouting racist whilst Zac Goldsmith is playing the race card in the London mayoral election - any coincidence in all "this" coming out at election time #JHJ time- and dog whistling but no comment then

Its little more that Tory shit stirring as the problem they have is no worse than any other party fuelled by the internal labour PLP hatred of Corbyn- they seem to be prepared to commit suicide over their hatred as the Tories are doing the same over the EU- all aided by the soothing diplomatic tones of Ken

it makes sense if you are anti-semitic you want to see a leader who gives credibility and shows repect to Hezbollah and Hamas.

Do I need to explain for you what's going on in this picture jambalaya?

[img] [/img]

Saudi textbooks vilify Jews (and Christians and non-Wahabi Muslims): according to 21 May 2006 issue of The Washington Post, Saudi textbooks claimed by them to have been sanitized of antisemitism still call Jews apes (and Christians swine); demand that students avoid and not befriend Jews; claim that Jews worship the devil; and encourage Muslims to engage in Jihad to vanquish Jews.[8]

Saudi Arabian media often attacks Jews in books, news articles, at their Mosques and with what some describe as antisemitic satire. Saudi Arabian government officials and state religious leaders often promote the idea that Jews are conspiring to take over the entire world; as proof of their claims they publish and frequently cite The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as factual.[10][11]

One Saudi Arabian government newspaper suggested that hatred of all Jews is justifiable. "Why are they (the Jews) hated by all the people which hosted them, such as Iraq and Egypt thousands years ago, and Germany, Spain, France and the UK, up to the days they gained of power over the capital and the press, in order to rewrite the history?"[12]

Even during the height of the Saudi crackdown on extremism in 2004, a Saudi IQRA TV "man on the street" segment on feelings toward Jews, was entirely antagonistic. Interviewees described Jews as "our eternal enemies", "murderous", "the enemies of Allah and His Prophet," "murderers of prophets," "the filthiest people on the face of this earth", etc.[13] [14]

In 2001, Arab Radio and Television of Saudi Arabia produced a 30-part television miniseries entitled "Horseman Without a Horse", a dramatization of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.[15] One Saudi Arabian government newspaper suggested that hatred of all Jews is justifiable.[16]

Antisemitism is common within religious circles. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has been described as an antisemite[17][18] for publicly praying to God to 'terminate' the Jews[19]

@grum Saudi King - we sell $4bn in arms, the French sell $12bn. Saudi a nation state and major Western ally benefitting from direct in-country US military assitance. Hamas and Hezbollah internationally recognised terrorist organisations. What's your point ?

@Northwind, 50 is the tip of a very large iceberg. Just look at the individuals - not rank and file but senior members, head of councils etc. For the anti-semites Corbyn is the best thing that's happened to them ever. He's kicked the first two investigations into the long grass as he knew what was contained within them, now comissioned another to report later, much later and most definitely after the elections

Junkyard, the reality of these revelations is quite simply #jamba-told-you-so

Best troll ever
😆

Think it's pretty obvious what my point was. It's about rank hypocrisy, something you specialise in.

This firmly and eloquently hits the nail on the head

[i][b]Labour has a severe problem with antisemitism that will get worse if the party’s inquiry into the issue is used as “sticking plaster” to placate voters, the chief rabbi has warned.[/b]

“There are many people, from all sectors of our society, who are demanding more responsibility, particularly from our politicians, for stamping out racism and antisemitism. The Labour party has a long and proud history of doing precisely that.

“Yet, comments from senior and long-standing members of the party, both Jewish and not, show just how severe the problem has now become.

“Everyone agrees that there must be no place for antisemitism in our politics and I welcome the inquiry recently announced by the party’s leadership. And yet, I would sound an urgent note of caution. In recent days, we have heard antisemitism in the Labour party described variously as ‘a smear’ and as ‘mood music’ being manipulated by political opponents of Jeremy Corbyn.

“There has been nothing more disheartening in this story than the suggestion that this is more about politics than about substance. The worst of mistakes, in trying to address this problem would be to treat it as a political attack which requires a political solution.”

He added: “Zionism is a movement celebrated by people right across the political spectrum, all over the world, and requires no endorsement or otherwise of the particular policies of any Israeli government at any time.

“But to those people who have nevertheless sought to redefine Zionism, who vilify and delegitimise it, be under no illusions – you are deeply insulting not only the Jewish community but countless others who instinctively reject the politics of distortion and demonisation.”[/i]

Nah, misses the nail totally and slams down right on the thumb.

It's about as eloquent as your prose Jamba.

Is this anti-semitic?

[img] ?oh=a517497bd53a094fd6155451d1e59789&oe=57E2F42C[/img]

I cannot believe, given the glorious Bank holiday weekend many of us have had, that some of you appear to have spent all of it in front of a computer, arguing on here. The question you must ask yourselves, is 'what have I actually achieved?' Whilst it's good to engage in debate and discussion, unless you are actually going to go in with an open mind and be willing to see things though another point of view, you're just going to be pissing into the wind. I've not read all the preceding posts, but a quick glance suggests nothing more than the boringly predictable polarised guff you find all over the internet. A regurgitation of hasbara, little else.

Jambalaya; I've noticed you do seem to come in for a lot of stick on here, and I'm really not a fan of making things personal, but I think you would really do yourself a favour by stepping away from your keyboard a lot more often. The naivety and insularity of your arguments really don't help you in such a debate at all. You're by far from being alone on here in this, but you do stand out as being painfully lacking in self-awareness, to the point of ridicule. You cannot simply twist, distort and ignore facts to support your argument, it really does you no favours. As important an issue as this is, I'm really unwilling to engage with it on here, because it's clear we will not reach any sort of intelligent consensus whilst people are so polarised and entrenched in their views. Having said that, I think there are several who could wind it in when it comes to criticising and even insulting you; it's fine to expose another's argument as weak, facile or incorrect, but resorting to ad hominem attacks to make another look inferior, is the mark of insecurity.

Anyway; the sun is shining and I for one won't be stuck in front of a computer all day if I can help it. Good day to you all.

kimbers - Member

Nah, misses the nail totally and slams down right on the thumb.