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Over on the Guardian website, Layla Moran has written an opinion piece which says that the anti-semitism scandal in Labour is creating a fear among MPs of speaking out for the Palestinian right to equality, justice and statehood. Layla writes:
My mother is Palestinian. These issues are deeply personal; we still have family in the West Bank. I am very worried that, at this critical juncture in the history of the region, activists, parliamentarians and journalists feel that they cannot speak out for fear of being branded as antisemitic. My plea is that we must speak more about Palestine, not less, and in this current climate it is something members of both houses of parliament have confided that they are more fearful than ever to do.
You can read the full article here.
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8 Comments
At the moment the government of Israel allows Jews the right of return, but not to Palestinians. Why is this? Israel claims 2 things. It claims to be a Jewish state and it also claims to be a democracy. Most Palestinians are not Jews. So if it allows Palestinians the right of return, the risk is that Israel will no longer be a Jewish majority country and voters will vote for a non-Jewish government. Israel would no longer be a Jewish state.
What this amounts to is religious discrimination, which is surely something Liberals cannot support? In any case, most Liberals would support an inclusive secular state (although bear in mind not all secular states are liberal) rather than one assigned to a religion, whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian. I would be interested to know what Layla and others think about that.
Thank you for an important article.
Might it help to talk and think in more general and neutral terms?
Espousing and implementing policies which work towards fairness, sustainability and decent living conditions, notably freedom from want and freedom from the threat and actuality of violence might be a start.
The starting point might be to listen to what people really say rather than what we think they might have said. The only way to do that is through dialogue.
We might also focus on what we can do, rather than what we think others should do.
Layla’s article deeply impressive, balanced and humane article should serve to remind us of how much she has achieved as an MP already.
She makes me proud to be a Liberal Democrat.
Who knows what she might achieve for peace and justice in the region over the next few years, with Jo as our new leader and with our country’s politics now in turmoil?
An inspiring article which should prompt our party and new leader to include this issue in its speeches and actions. The Trump proposals typify attempts by oppressors to get peace by arguing to economic benefits for the oppressed, so long as they accept continued political control by the oppressors. It does not work.
Geoff Payne says Israel seeks to be both Jewish and Democratic, but it also raises a vital question about how non-Jewish people within Israel can be better represented in government. Worth working on ?
It’s a poor do when politicians are frightened to speak out about one of the major human rights injustices of our times. The treatment of the Palestinians is disgraceful and whoever is responsible should be called to account. These are state actions and its politicians should face global criticism.
Thank you, Layla for a very impressive piece.
One point that all too frequently gets overlooked is how much of a knock-on effect the denial of self-determination to the Palestinians has had on the wider region. It has been a major source of destabilisation for decades, and a recruiting tool skilfully exploited by Jihadists. As the country that failed in its “sacred trust of civilisation” to bring the Palestinians to independence (Art. 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations), Britain should hang its head in shame. The least it can do is recognise Palestine as a sovereign state and take seriously the requirement in UNSCR 2334 to distinguish in all relevant dealings between Israeli sovereign territory and Israeli occupied territory (which includes East Jerusalem, by the way).
The real problem is the number of blind supporters of Israel Government in all political parties in UK and elsewhere, who use Anti-Semitism as a weapon and start screaming Anti-Semitism everytime someone highlights the Gross and open human rights abuses of Palestinians controlled in West Bank and Gaza by the Israel Government and its army and the inability of the central establishment/administration of all the political parties (including Liberal Democrats) to deal with the Ant-Semitism complaints properly. The Jury is now out for the fair handling of Ant-Semitism accusations by our new Complaints procedure as a number of complaints relating to Anti-Semitism went in during July after the new system was introduced on 1st July.