Tariq Ali #racist

Tariq Ali #racist algemeiner.com

Speakers at a Wednesday evening University of London Student Union (ULSU)-sponsored panel called for the destruction of Israel as a solution to antisemitism, a British watchdog group reported.

According to UK Media Watch, several panelists issued the calls during an event centered on the theme of antisemitism in the Labour Party and alleging that the ongoing uproar over widespread anti Jewish rhetoric in the party is being used to silence critics of Israel and bring down leader Jeremy Corbyn. A leaflet handed out at the beginning of the panel, titled “Labour Jews Assert,” stated, “some people—are wielding ‘antisemitism’ allegations as a stick to beat the Corbyn leadership.”

Speaker Tariq Ali — a British Pakistani writer, journalist and filmmaker, who is an outspoken supporter of Hamas — said the annihilation of Israel would greatly benefit both Palestinians and Israelis. Antisemitism, according to Ali, is a result of the creation of a Jewish state, and once Israel is wiped off the map, antisemitism will disappear.

15 comments

old comment by Hasan Prishtina

According to UK Media Watch, several panelists issued the calls during an event centered on the theme of antisemitism in the Labour Party and alleging that the ongoing uproar over widespread anti Jewish rhetoric in the party is being used to silence critics of Israel and bring down leader Jeremy Corbyn.

In other words, "We're not antisemitic and it's all a Jewish conspiracy against us."

A leaflet handed out at the beginning of the panel, titled “Labour Jews Assert,” stated, “some peopleare wielding antisemitism’ allegations as a stick to beat the Corbyn leadership

A leaflet from a small number of Jews in Labour, disavowed by the Jewish Labour Movement, signed by people whose Jewishness only seems to matter to them when signing letters condemning other Jews of speaking out against antisemitism. Jews can be antisemites too - just look at Gilad Atzmon.

Antisemitism, according to Ali, is a result of the creation of a Jewish state

Antisemitism has been recorded as existing for over 2,000 years. Antisemitism in the Arab world long predates the creation of Israel; the antisemitism of Amin al-Husseini and the Higher Arab Council played a major role in the Arab rejection of UN attempts at partition, resulting in the form in which Israel came into being.

once Israel is wiped off the map, antisemitism will disappear

There are virtually no Jews left in countries like Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, where once there were millions. Yet antisemitism is still endemic in those countries. Getting rid of Jews does not get rid of antisemitism. If you think annihilating the defense and existence of almost half the world's Jews is a good way of tackling anti-Semitism, then I might suggest that you don't take the problem that seriously.

@ Bashkim

You no doubt remember Ali's book Masters of the Universe: NATO's Balkan Crusade, another pro-Miloševic, pro-Karadic product of British Trotskyism, more of value for demonstrating the depths to which the 'anti-imperialist' left has sunk rather than for its analysis.

old comment by Bashkim

@Hasan Prishtina

Yes, I've read the book. To be fair, Tariq Ali’s book does eschew the wilder excesses of the American Left. Most (though not all) at least admit Miloševic wasn't the nicest kid on the block.

Protests against the Serbian assaults on Croatia and Bosnia were notable by Mr. Tariq Ali's absense, even though this attack occured without the authorisation of the UN Security Council that Ali seems to love so much. Yet he loudly demonstrated on behalf of Serbia's 'sovereignty' in 1999.

What struck me most was that neither Ali nor any of the other contributers expressed any appreciation for the factors that might have driven Kosovars like me to join the UÇK, or indeed what our fate would have been had NATO not intervened. Yet when Islamist terrorists murdered dozens of innocent British civilians, Tariq Ali defended their actions as an understandable 'response' to events half-way across the world.

old comment by Hasan Prishtina

@ Bashkim

It's all a matter of what 'camp' you're in, socialist or imperialist. Had Miloševic had the support of the West and Kosovo Albanians been backed by Russia, Iran or the Muslim Brotherhood, you could bet your bottom dollar that Ali, Cockburn, Parenti, Chomsky, Hudson, Johnstone etc. would have declared their undying support for the liberators of the UÇK and their grief for the dead and displaced. Well, at least until the next crisis came along. It would just be a shame that NATO's not helping the people of the former Yugoslavia would have caused millions of refugees and destabilized the region for generations, but you could be sure that Oliver Stone or Michael Moore would make a really moving film about it.