The UK Labour Party passed a motion during their annual conference on Sept. 23 calling for a boycott of Israeli goods in the West Bank settlements, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.
The motion stated that the party believes in “an ethical policy on all UK’s trade with Israel, in particular by applying international law on settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories” and hopes to forge an international alliance in “rejecting trade agreements with Israel that fail to recognize the rights of the Palestinians.”
The motion also called Israel’s efforts to ramp up settlement building in the West Bank “illegal” and endorsed the notion that Palestinians should “return to their homes.”
Additionally, the motion criticized the British government for being “a colonial power during the 1948 Nakba when Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes.” Nakba is Arabic for catastrophe; Syrian historian Dr. Constantin Zureiq coined the term in 1948 to describe “the defeat of Arabs in Palestine” after Israel fought off seven Arab countries in the 1948 War of Independence.
Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) denounced the party vote in a statement posted to Twitter.
“With [Labour Party leader Jeremy] Corbyn now uniquely singling out the world’s only Jewish state for boycotts, it’s no wonder the Jewish community fears the prospect of him becoming prime minister,” LFI said.
LFI’s response to #Lab19’s vote to support boycotts against Israel. “With Corbyn now uniquely singling out the world’s only Jewish state for boycotts, it’s no wonder the Jewish community fears the prospect of him becoming prime minister.“ pic.twitter.com/a1CSMPpgT3
— Labour Friends of Israel (@_LFI) September 23, 2019
Sussex Friends of Israel similarly tweeted, “At least the pretense is now over, the phony war at an end. Not only do we now know Labour support boycotts but it also makes clear that the only country they will boycott is a Jewish one. Anti-Semitism 101!”
At least the pretence is now over, the phoney war at an end. Not only do we now know Labour support boycotts but it also makes clear that the only country they will boycott is a Jewish one. Antisemitism 101! https://t.co/uJbJ0NDTlP
— Self Declared Zionists (@SussexFriends) September 23, 2019
The motion was passed after “Palestinian flags were unfurled and chants of ‘Free Palestine’ were shouted” during the preceding debate, per TOI.
Also during the conference, a pamphlet comparing Israel to the Nazis was handed to attendees entering the venue in Brighton. A flag featuring a cartoon depicting a plane with the words “The Lobby” firing a missile labeled “defamation” at Corbyn was hung just outside the venue as well; Corbyn condemned the cartoon.
Horrendous to see an antisemitic cartoon outside @UKLabour conference for the SECOND year running
I feel sick and unwelcome, as a Jewish member, to have to walk past this racist bile on the way into conference
The second photo is another of Latuff’s works for context#Lab19 pic.twitter.com/bfGiq1QQzD
— Jack Lubner (@JackLubner) September 22, 2019
I'm disgusted that this banner was displayed near our #Lab19 conference centre.
We asked the police to remove it and I'm glad they did.
This kind of antisemitic poison has no place whatsoever in our society.https://t.co/YvL3LloYC4
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 23, 2019
At least nine members of parliament have resigned from the Labour Party in 2019, saying that Corbyn’s leadership has enabled anti-Semitism to thrive in the party. However, a YouGov poll published on Sept. 22 found that 66 percent of Labour members don’t think the party has an anti-Semitism problem. Thirty-seven percent, a plurality, believe the allegations of anti-Semitism are coming from “opponents who want to undermine Corbyn.” Fifty-six percent of Labour members said they’re against Britain forging a trade agreement with Israel when Britain exits from the European Union.
