Over the last few days there has been an explosion of public debate, opinion pieces and news coverage in response to a motion brought forward by Green Party Members titled “Zionism is racism”.
We are not going to get into the motion itself. Many others have done this and you can seek out the various views on it elsewhere. Instead we want to explain why this was always doomed to be a toxic conversation and debate.
Our article is also aimed at encouraging everyone to pause before jumping in with opinions as the reactive public debate and reporting continues. At the end of the article we share some learning resources and some questions to help you frame your thinking on this issue.
Before we get into it, we want to reiterate that we have always made our position clear. Being critical of Israel and Zionism is not antisemitism. In recent months we were pleased to hear that after months (years) of this being viciously debated in the press, the UK Employment Appeal Tribunal upheld a landmark ruling that anti-Zionism is not the same as antisemitism and is a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act.
The appeal came after Bristol University attempted to overturn findings in favour of David Miller, a professor fired in 2021 after a campaign accused him of antisemitism for his criticism of Israel and Zionism.
The motion from the Greens and the reactions to it have re-opened all of this.
There are some really important discussions to be had about zionism, racism and anti-semitism and how they interact with each other. However, as soon as we saw the motion in the news we knew it was doomed to become toxic. Why?
People, our institutions, our media, and our politicians are just not ready, willing, or equipped to talk about this in a thoughtful and regulated way.
There are so many reasons for this
In our society we do not have a shared, clear understanding of either Zionism, racism or antisemitism. All are contested and deeply misunderstood terms. In the conversation around this issue as well as the reporting the words are constantly being conflated with other things, leading people to come to quick conclusions which may be wrong, or simply leaving people confused. We also know from years of talking about racism, that simply saying this word gets hackles up and leads to emotionally charged conversations; centering on “are you accusing me of being a racist”.
We’re in a media and political landscape where using the word ‘genocide’ is controversial and where any criticism of the Israeli state leads to accusations of antisemitism. In this context, a motion titled “Zionism is racism” was always going to land badly.
Much of our mainstream media is fundamentally biased and has continually failed to humanely and accurately report on the genocide being perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinians, or the important historical context.
Zionist individuals, lobby groups and organisations are actively trying to influence our media and politicians. Just take a look at this website which tracks where funding from the Israel Lobby is going. Any individual, group or organisation which takes an anti-Zionist position or simply criticises the actions of the Israeli state leaves themselves open to being attacked, criticised and they could even lose their job. We have spoken previously about the high costs of talking about the genocide, and of criticising Israel or Zionism itself.
Palestinians are experiencing genocide as you read this post. For members with links to Palestine in the Green Party this isn’t just a debate about language and definitions. This is tied to the ongoing genocide and decades long history of pain, trauma, and disposition their families have endured. This makes the topic feel incredibly emotionally charged and, rightfully, urgent.
Antisemitism is a real issue across every single echelon of our society, just as other forms of racism are. We have also seen terrorist attacks against the Jewish community in recent years, as we have against Muslim communities. This makes this an emotionally charged topic for many Jewish people too. The way these issues are brought forward, debated, and reported can tap into real and justified fear which is always just below the surface.
Too often the genocide being experienced by the Palestinians is pitted against fears around antisemitism here in the UK. We reject this binary logic. We need to be able to hold both.
This conversation, while important and layered, was doomed to become toxic from the start.
If you’re reading this you might have a strong view in favour or against the motion. Or (perhaps most understandably) you could be feeling confused and don’t really know what to think. Instead of jumping to having a view or diving into debates online, we encourage you to listen, learn, and get more informed.
You can find a resource list at the end of this article.
Where to start…
This story has cut across several large concepts. Can you honestly say you can confidently explain what Zionism, racism and antisemitism are? Can you connect all the complex ways they interact throughout our history, leading us to where we are today?
Do you know about the diverse history of Jewish people across the world, spanning centuries before the holocaust, before Zionism, and not only featuring persecution but rich cultures beyond Europe too? Just as we should learn about Black history beyond the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people, we should seek out the rich history of Judaism and Jewish people too.
Did you know the definition of antisemitism is contested within Jewish communities? Do you know what the different definitions are and why they are debated?
When it comes to the ongoing Genocide, do you know the history of how Israel was founded, about the violence perpetrated against the Palestinian people before Oct 7th?
Have you listened to a range of voices, lived experiences, and opinions of Jewish and Palestinian people here in the UK and in Israel and Gaza?
Whilst often reported as monoliths in the media, there are a range of nuanced opinions and lived experiences. Our takeaway from most of the reporting so far is that there has been a rush to define the narrative, often centering one perspective without giving enough space to others. As always with anti-racism work, there is value in slowing down, questioning what we think we know, and listening to voices and experiences that may challenge our assumptions.
And whilst all of these issues are worth your thought and attention because, yes, we can hold multiple truths at once, the most urgent place our actions are needed right now are in Palestine. Whilst the media storm dissects definitions, the genocide continues. 1 in 30 people in Gaza have been murdered. Three years of Israeli attacks have killed at least 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children. 94 percent of all hospitals and clinics are damaged. People are having to endure operations without anaesthesia. Children are having to navigate the genocide alone, sometimes their whole family now dead. We could go on and on. Our attention should be on this, not on definitions.
This post by Misan Harriman really brings this home and we encourage you to pause and watch it.
What can I do?
Boycott: The BDS movement calls for a boycott of all companies, Israeli or international, that are involved in the violation of Palestinian rights. It also calls for a boycott of complicit Israeli cultural and academic institutions. Learn more here.
Write to your MP: Continue to email your MP to take action on the genocide ending all arms sales and diplomatic support for Israel. Keep the pressure on.
Attend Protests: For national protests sign up to Palestine Solidarity UK newsletter for updates. For local action get involved with Carlisle and District Palestine Solidarity Group.
And remember, don’t forget about the genocides, wars, and violence happening in countries in Africa which consistently get side-lined and ignored in the news, by our politicians, and too often by us, the public. Read more about this here.
Resources
For those who like to listen whilst they go about their day
Podcast: In Conversation with Rachel Shabi
“In this episode, Carys sits down with Rachel Shabi to discuss antisemitism, Jewish experiences and her new book Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism. Rachel Shabi is a journalist and broadcaster whose work has appeared in the Guardian, the New York Times, Independent, The Times and the New York Review of Books, among other papers and journals. Her previous book, Not the Enemy: Israel’s Jews from Arab Lands, received a US National Jewish Book award”.
Podcast: Who Jew Think You Are
“Exploring a more inclusive Jewniverse, with Eylan Ezekiel. Meeting fascinating guests, on a mission to understand the diverse histories and identities of Jewish people”.
For those who like short, impactful clips
“Anti-Zionism is not the same as anti-semitism” by Middle East Eye
“Zionism is not the same as Judaism” Al Jazeera
Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss Activist and Spokesman for Neturei Karta, talks to Al Jazeera.
For those who like a book
Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe
“In this groundbreaking book, the outspoken and radical Israeli historian Ilan Pappe examines the most contested ideas concerning the origins and identity of the contemporary state of Israel. This has been updated with a new afterword on the 2023 invasion of Gaza”. It explores the following chapters:
- Palestine was an Empty Land
- The Jews were a people with out a land
- Zionism is Judaism
- Zionism is not Colonialism
- The Palestinians Voluntarily Left their Homelands in 1948
- The June 1967 War was a war of ‘No Choice’
- Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East
- The Myths about the Oslo Agreement
- The Lies we tell about Gaza
- The two state solution is the only way forward
We have not yet read this book but it has been recommended to us and is on our reading list. We also want to deepen our knowledge and listen to different perspectives.
For those who like a report (we know they are not for everyone!)
We hope this article gives you space to pause, reflect and think about this from a fresh perspective.
