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Jewish News 2 February 2017
News / Annual CST figures announced
Anti-Semitism at highest level • •
Anti-Semitism in the UK Labour Party Deputy reached “unprecedented” Leader Tom Watson MP levels in 2016, after a rise of described the latest figures 36 percent in the number of as “extremely distressing”, Antisemitic Incidents Report 2016 7 incidents. while John Mann MP, the • •Following EMBARGO UNTILchair THURSDAY 2 ParFEBRUARY 2017 AT 00.01 • • Thursday’s of the All-Party release of its annual figures, liamentary Group Against identity. In addition, many incidents • In 41 antisemitic incidents, the victims the Community Security Antisemitism, saidreligious the stado not involve face-to-face contact between were Jewish students, academics or Trust (CST) said there were tistics were “very worrying”. other student bodies, compared to 21 offender and victim so it is not always now more than twice as Labour MP Mann blamed such incidents recorded in 2015. Of the 41 possible to obtain a physical description of many anti-Semitic incidents “the rise of nationalist popincidents recorded in this sector in 2016, 17 the offender. Where there is no face-to-face per month than four years ulism” as well as the “failure contact, it would be a mistake to assume to took place on campus, while there were 24 ago, with the level of hatred to boldly oppose anti-Semknow the ethnicity or religion of an incident incidents that affected students, academics eclipsing that seen during itism,” a comment seen as the location of the reporter, offender on the basis of the abusive language or student bodies off campus. Two of the 41 the Gaza War in 2014. critical of his party leader, not the offence. they use. Bearing in mind these caveats, incidents recorded in this sector were in the While charity bosses said Jeremy Corbyn. Overall, there was a huge category of Assault, one of which occurred CST does provide data regarding the ethnic incidents were now far more CST chief executive David 55 percent increase in the on campus, while 35 were in the category of appearance of incident offenders, and the likely to be reported, they Delew said: “While Jewish amount of online abuse discourse they use to abuse or threaten Jews. Abusive Behaviour. were nevertheless left gob- life in this country remains being recorded, with 287 smacked by the huge and overwhelmingly • CST positive, incidents overall. received a physical description • CST is often asked by journalists and sustained increase, with this heightened level of antiMore worryingly, the of the incident offender in 499, or 38 members of the public to identify the 1,309 incidents Semitism worrying number of incidents classed cent, of the 1,309 antisemitic incidents ethnic orreported religiouslast background of is deeplyper year – the highest on record. and it appears to be getting as ‘abusive behaviour and incident offenders . CST will ask incident recorded during 2016. Of these, 274 This victims compares to 960 worse… Some people clearly threats’ was 1,006, which is or witnesses if they can describe offenders (55 per cent) were described as incidents 2015orand 1,182 feel more confident to European’; “the highest CST has ever thein person, people, who committed ‘White – North 21 offenders (4 the yearthe before, when Israel express anti-Semitism recordedas ‘White in those categoWriting for Jewish News incident they are reporting, but thistheir is per cent) were described – South launched military action publicly than they did in the ries”. this week, CST director difficult and imprecise: many antisemitic European’; 75 offenders (15 per cent) were against incidents militant groups past.” There were 107 ‘violent Mark Gardner urged the involve public encounters where described as ‘Black’; 96 offenders (19 per in the theGaza Strip, More than half cent) of allwere UKdescribed anti-Semitic assaults,’ the community to “balance the antisemitic abusepromay be generic, as ‘South Asian’; 2 voking brief a strong backlash incidents highest level since 2010, negatives against the daily and sometimes non-verbal. While it iswere reported offendersin (0.4 per cent) were described against possible Jewishto collect communiLondon, although for online but none were classed as reality of Jewish life, which I data regarding the ethnic as ‘Far East or South East Asian’; and 31 ties across the world, someincidents, such asoffenders hateful violence,’asmeaning hope for most of us, most of appearance of incident offenders, this data is (6 per‘extreme cent) were described thing the charity messages grievous bodily harm or the time, is overwhelmingly not direct evidencecalled of the offenders’ ethnicleft or on social ‘Arabmedia or North African’. a “trigger event”. sites, London may represent threats to life. positive”. In seeking to explain the figures, Gardner said there was “a big worrying trend NUMBER OF INCIDENTS, 2011-2016 being called populism, used RECORD HIGH OF to explain everything from 1,182 Jeremy Corbyn to Brexit to Donald Trump.” INCIDENTS 960 He added: “In relation to anti-Semitism, this rests upon notions such as ‘us versus them’ and blaming 650 609 unspecified ‘elites’ for the 535 complicated and troubled state of the world.” Meanwhile, Barnet Council this week became the first UK local authority to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. Graphic highlighting the shocking rise in anti-Semitic attacks since 2011 At a meeting on Tuesday
1,309
Councillor readmitted Camden’s Labour representatives have united in disapproval after a man was re-admitted to the Labour Party with a formal written warning, following his suspension for inflammatory statements. Terence Flanagan was accused of comparing councillors to Goebbels, claiming Israeli spies were behind a strategy to undermine Jeremy Corbyn and saying supporters of Israel were “polluting” the Labour Party. Speaking to the Camden
New Journal, Flanagan said he felt fully “vindicated” and the accusations were “fraudulent”. This week every Labour councillor, together with Assembly Member Andrew Dismore and MP Tulip Siddiq, wrote to the newspaper arguing that, on the contrary, Flanagan had not been vindicated. “The party clearly upheld the complaint of anti-Semitism and other abusive behaviour against him,” they said.
Anti-Semitic incidents, such as graffiti with racist messages and a brick marked with a swastika, have risen by 36 percent
evening, motions from both Labour councillor Barry Rawlings and Conservative councillor Brian Gordon called for the definition to be adopted and were agreed unanimously by cross-party councillors at the meeting. Rawlings’ motion states: “Council expresses alarm at the rise in anti-Semitism in recent years across the UK. “This includes incidents when criticism of Israel has been expressed using anti-Semitic tropes.” He said: “Barnet has the largest Jewish population in the country, and it is right and proper that we are the
first local authority to adopt this definition of anti-Semitism.” The definition is supported by the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and European Jewish Congress.
NEWS IN BRIEF ESTHER AND ANNE ARE ‘WOMEN OF DISTINCTION’
ISRAEL TO TAKE 100 SYRIAN ORPHANS SAYS MINISTER
JACKIE WALKER SET FOR DISCIPLINARY HEARING
Broadcaster Esther Rantzen and art historian Anne Webber were named as award recipients at this year’s Jewish Care Woman of Distinction Lunch. The event, which took place at the Institute of Directors, was attended by 180 women and helped raise £55,000 to fund services and activities for residents of Jewish Care’s Sidney Corob House. Dame Rantzen, who was handed the award by Leah Phillips, a resident of Sidney Corob home, was honoured for her work in founding ChildLine 30 years ago, as well as The Silver Line, a charitable organisation that launched four years ago as a confidential helpline for older people.
Israel has said it will take 100 orphaned children fleeing the civil war in Syria, in the first sign that the country’s stance of refugees from war-torn Arab neighbours may be easing. In an announcement Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said he had ordered the Population and Immigration Authority “to begin contacts with relevant agencies on allowing the absorption of children who have survived the fighting in Syria”. While plans are still at an early stage, the ministry said Israel “will be able to absorb approximately 100 orphaned children, thus facilitating their rehabilitation”.
Israel critic Jackie Walker, the former vice-chair of the left-wing Momentum group, is to attend a disciplinary investigation meeting on Friday. Walker made inflammatory comments at a meeting in an anti-Semitism training event in September, complaining that Holocaust Memorial Day did not represent victims of other genocides and saying she had not yet found a definition of the world’s oldest hatred with which she could work. In a Facebook post this week, she revealed her first disciplinary investigation meeting with Labour’s Compliance Unit would be held on Friday, and implied that the result was predetermined.