Jeremy Corbyn: criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic
Following a publication of a video that shows the Labour Party leader complimenting Hamas terrorists and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, Corbyn vows to eliminate anti-Semitic culture from his party in an opinion piece written for the Guardian newspaper; 'People who dish out antisemitic poison need to understand: you do not do it in my name, you are not my supporters'; However he insisted criticism of either Israel or Zionism should not be restricted.
The Op-ed was published following a 2010 video that emerged showing the Labour leader at a pro-Palestinian rally refer to Hamas terrorists as his “friends” and comparing between the destruction in Gaza to that in Stalingrad and Leningrad during World War WII—essentially comparing Israel to Nazi Germany.
In the Guardian article, Corbin acknowledged his party has anti-Semitism issues that have not been dealt with properly. “The community should have been consulted more extensively at an earlier stage,” Corbyn writes.
However, he says that his criticism of Israel should not be interpreted as anti-Jewish.
"It is unfortunately the case that this particular example, dealing with Israel and racism, has sometimes been used by those wanting to restrict criticism of Israel that is not anti-Semitic,” he explained.
He expressed the same sentiments regarding the idea of anti-Zionism, saying it is neither racist nor anti-Semitic.
"In the 1970s some on the left mistakenly argued that “Zionism is racism”. That was wrong, but to assert that “anti-Zionism is racism” now is wrong too," Corbyn asserted in the article.
The Labour leader added that those in his party who express anti-Semitic views are a minority that does not speak for him and will not be tolerated.
“People who dish out antisemitic poison need to understand: you do not do it in my name … You are not my supporters and have no place in our movement,” exclaimed Corbyn in the article.
Corbyn, a serious contender for the British premiership, is seen in one of the videos that recently emerged speaking at a rally outside the Israeli Embassy in London in 2010.
"I was in Gaza three months ago. I saw the mortar shell that had gone through the school buildings, the destroyed UN establishments, the burned out schools, the ruined homes, the destroyed lives, the imprisoned people, the psychological damage to a whole generation, who've been imprisoned for as long as the siege of Leningrad and Stalingrad took place," Corbyn, at the time a backbench MP, told the crowd.
"This is a war crime that has been undertaken, but this time on live television," he added.
The same year, Corbyn hosted an event at the British Parliament for Gaza on International Holocaust Remembrance Day under the headline "Never Again for Anyone – Auschwitz to Gaza."
Some of the speakers at the event accused Israel of using the Holocaust for its own political need, while leaflets were handed out claiming Israel is carrying out genocide.
Furthermore, according to British media, Corbyn also signed a petition calling to change the name of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day to "Genocide Memorial Day – Never Again For Anyone," a general name that ignores the Jewish people.
Another video from 2012 is of an interview Corbyn gave to Iran's Press TV in a program titled "Remember Palestine," where he described over 1,000 Hamas terrorists released by Israel in the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap in 2011 as "brothers."
On the same show, Corbyn also questioned if there was a "serious case" against the released terrorists, who have been convicted of the murder of almost 600 Israelis.
