Jeremy Corbyn was branded ‘contemptible’ last night after he argued it is not anti-Semitic to describe Israel as racist.

The Labour leader wanted his party’s ruling body to endorse a statement that it is not ‘anti-Semitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist’.

Describing Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’ directly contravenes one of the key examples of the international definition of anti-Semitism.

At a combative meeting of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday, Mr Corbyn was forced to back down after it became clear he could not get his statement through.

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Mr Corbyn was branded 'contemptible' for bringing a second personal statement to the meeting on anti-Semitism and Palestinian rights.

The Labour leader wanted his party’s ruling body to endorse a statement that it is not ‘anti-Semitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist’

At a combative meeting of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday, Mr Corbyn was forced to back down after it became clear he could not get his statement through

Instead the NEC adopted the full definition of anti-Semitism as laid down by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), including all 11 examples it lists.

But it also endorsed a get-out clause to make it clear that adopting the full definition will not undermine ‘freedom of expression on Israel’. Last night the Labour Friends of Israel group said the caveat would provide a ‘safe space for anti-Semites’.

Its director, Jennifer Gerber, said: ‘It is contemptible but utterly unsurprising that Jeremy Corbyn prioritised and fought for the right of anti-Semites to describe the world’s only Jewish state as racist in a meeting supposedly about combating anti-Semitism.

‘It is now even more clear that Jeremy Corbyn is part of the problem not the solution.’

After months of heated debate, the NEC agreed that Labour’s code of conduct – used to decide whether members should be expelled for anti-Semitic comments – should adopt all of the IHRA’s 11 examples.

It emerged last night that Mr Corbyn urged the NEC to adopt all 11 definitions – but only alongside a statement he had drafted. It stated: ‘It cannot be considered racist to treat Israel like any other state or assess its conduct against the standards of international law.

At a combative meeting of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday, Mr Corbyn was forced to back down after it became clear he could not get his statement through

After months of heated debate, the NEC agreed that Labour’s code of conduct – used to decide whether members should be expelled for anti-Semitic comments – should adopt all of the IHRA’s 11 examples

‘Nor should it be regarded as anti-Semitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist because of their discriminatory impact, or to support another settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict.’ Instead, the NEC adopted a much shorter statement, saying the adoption of the full IHRA definition ‘does not in any way undermine the freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians’.

Labour Against Anti-Semitism added: ‘The Labour Party says this issue is about free speech, but in reality, it appears to be about protecting the freedom of racists to present vile views which should have no place in any political party.

‘There can be no caveats, no conditions and no compromises with racism, and it is an ongoing disgrace that the Labour Party appears incapable of simply doing the right thing.

Momentum activist celebrated Iranian revolution anniversary The candidate who won the most votes in Monday’s elections for Labour’s NEC has helped to mark Iran’s takeover by hardline Ayatollahs, MailOnline reported. Momentum activist Yasmine Dar has given speeches at an Islamist celebration of the 1979 Iranian revolution, which heralded widespread repression. At one event in Manchester in 2017, she said: ‘We are here for a celebration, a happy time.’ Advertisement

‘Until it does, this crisis will continue to destroy the fundamental integrity of the whole Labour movement.’

Last night a Labour Party spokesman said: ‘The NEC welcomed Jeremy Corbyn’s statement to the meeting about action against anti-Semitism, solidarity with the Jewish community and protection of Palestinian rights, as an important contribution to the consultation on Labour’s Code of Conduct.’

Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the decision by the NEC to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism in full was ‘very long overdue’.

She added: ‘However, the adoption of the internationally-recognised definition by itself, can only be the beginning. Action is what matters. We need to see firm action taken against anti-Semites and those who bring the party in to disrepute by denying the problem of anti-Semitism.

'Labour must resolve the outstanding cases, introduce greater transparency to the disciplinary process, tackle the culture of the problem of anti-Semitism and introduce education and training. In addition Jeremy Corbyn needs to apologise for past anti-Semitic comments and affiliations.’

Dame Margaret Hodge was among others vocal in their criticism of the party for taking 'two steps forward, one step back' by adding the rider to the full IHRA text.

The statement spells out that Labour will not kick out anyone who criticises Israel without being anti-Semitic - something critics say is already clear in the IHRA text.

Dame Margaret Hodge (pictured) was among others vocal in their criticism of the party for taking 'two steps forward, one step back' by adding the rider to the full IHRA text

The leading Jewish MP who has branded Mr Corbyn an anti-Semite, condemned the new caveat.

She said: 'Two steps forward and one step back. Why dilute the welcome adoption in full of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism with an unnecessary qualification?'

Prior to the crunch meeting of Labour's ruling body yesterday morning, one of Corbyn's key allies who previously ranted about Jewish 'Trump fanatics' was cheered as he arrived at the party HQ.

Peter Willsman was applauded by Momentum activists as he turned up for the NEC gathering - with some hugging him and punching the air as he walked in.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson (pictured arriving at the NEC meeting in London's Victoria yesterday) said he hopes the adoption of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism could be the start of a journey to rebuild trust with the Jewish community

Peter Willsman (pictured) was applauded by Momentum activists as he turned up for the NEC gathering - with some hugging him and punching the air as he walked in

But a group of Jewish protesters who had also gathered outside the offices angrily chanted 'shame on you' as he walked in.

The tense scenes came after Mr Willsman was re-elected to the NEC yesterday with more than 70,000 votes despite his diatribe in July, when he accused critics of 'making up' complaints about anti-Semitism.

Mr Willsman refused to answer questions on his remarks or whether he would back adopting the IHRA definition, but smiled and thanked his 'comrades' for their support.

Mr Willsman, who will now serve another two years on the NEC, said his job was to support his 'friend for 41 years' Mr Corbyn - who he called 'Jerry'.

Mr Willsman, who was reelected to the NEC last night despite anger over his rant at Jewish 'Trump fanatics', was escorted past the protests by police yesterday

The tense scenes came after Mr Willsman was re-elected to the NEC yesterday with more than 70,000 votes despite his diatribe in July, when he accused critics of 'making up' complaints about anti-Semitism

He said critics were trying to undermine the Labour leader and 'some MPs, elected by Labour voters, seem willing to help the rich and powerful'.

Amanda Bowman, vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said Mr Willsman's election following his 'reprehensible comments' was 'deeply concerning'.

His success came despite the influential Momentum campaign group withdrawing its support for him following the 'deeply insensitive' comments about Jews.

In an angry rant at a meeting of Labour's ruling executive committee in July, he accused Jewish 'Trump fanatics' of 'making up duff information' to attack Mr Corbyn.

All nine winners are close supporters of Mr Corbyn. They all had the backing of Momentum, the Corbyn support group, at the start of the election campaign, before Mr Willsman was dropped from the slate

Mr Corbyn arrived later for the showdown - but avoided embarrassing questions from the media by using a backdoor to get into the building

Mr Willsman won 70,321 votes to claim the ninth and last spot on the committee. Yasmine Dar was first in the election with 88,176 votes.

All nine winners are close supporters of Mr Corbyn. They all had the backing of Momentum, the Corbyn support group, at the start of the election campaign, before Mr Willsman was dropped from the slate.

Comedian Eddie Izzard was the best placed loser, finishing tenth with 67,819 votes.

Labour MP Wes Streeting revealed his despair at the re-election, warning Mr Willsman should have been 'booted off' the NEC during the election.

He said: 'Through his actions, Peter Willsman has shown he is unfit to serve on Labour's NEC.

They included two activists dressed in witches hats who stood near a banner with Jeremy Corbyn's face across it. They faced off against a small group of Jewish protesters who want the definition to be adopted

A group of around 100 protesters from Momentum and Jewish Voice for Labour gathered outside Labour Party headquarters to urge the NEC not to adopt the anti-Semitism picket

'The results suggest that had his conduct come to light sooner - and Momentum taken swifter action - he would not have been elected.

'He should have been booted off the NEC already.'

Mr Corbyn arrived later for the showdown - but avoided embarrassing questions from the media by using a backdoor to get into the building.

A group of around 100 protesters from Momentum and Jewish Voice for Labour gathered outside Labour Party headquarters to urge the NEC not to adopt the anti-Semitism picket.

The noisy picket chanted and carried banners with slogans like 'IHRA no, BDS yes' and made a string of angry speeches tearing into Israel.

They included two activists dressed in witches hats who stood near a banner with Jeremy Corbyn's face across it.

They faced off against a small group of Jewish protesters who want the definition to be adopted.

The group - which carried Israeli flags - chanted 'Corbyn is an anti-Semite' and said that the Labour Party has no right to tell the Jewish community how to define anti-Semitism.

Mike Cushman, an activist with JVL, accused Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger of being 'on a continuum' with Margaret Thatcher.

He accused the Labour MP of defending an apartheid state in Israel which is like South Africa.

He said the anti-Semitism crisis has been over inflated by Blairites and Tories and supporters of the Israeli government .

He told the crowd: 'There are three groups responsible - there is the blairite group who never accepted the idea that you and me decide the direction of our party...

'They have used any weapon they can to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn is facing demands to show 'remorse' for his failure to tackle the wave of vile abuse that has been wracking the party since he took charge

'There is the second group, the conservatives, they see this as a weapon to destabilise the Labour Party.

'And there is a third group - the Israeli government and those who support them.

'They do not want us to criticise the criminal actions of the Israeli regime.'

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi at JVL said: 'I think it's very unfortunate that the Labour Party has been so bludgeoned and beaten and bloodied by this whole episode in our political life that they feel they have to take on guidelines.'

On Israel she added: 'I know it's a racist state.'

Asked what they will do if the party adopts the definition she said they will continue their campaign and help activists who are accused of Antisemitism.

Other speakers at the Momentum and JVL demonstration accused those like former chief rabbi Lord Sacks who have spoken out on anti-Semitism of 'shrieking' and 'crying wolf'.

Jon Lansman, founder of Momentum, did not talk to the press as he arrived at the party HQ this morning.

The latest controversy was sparked over the summer when the party stopped short of including all examples from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism in its code of conduct.

Left-wingers argued that the rules - which include banning jibes about the Israeli state being a racist endeavour - would hamper criticism of Israel.

But many MPs and Jewish groups view watering down the definition as totally unacceptable, and Mr Corbyn himself has been forced to deny being an anti-Semite.

It emerged last night that Mr Corbyn urged the NEC to adopt all 11 definitions – but only alongside a statement he had drafted. It stated: ‘It cannot be considered racist to treat Israel like any other state or assess its conduct against the standards of international law

Mr Corbyn is facing demands to show 'remorse' for his failure to tackle the wave of vile abuse that has been wracking the party since he took charge.

Senior backbencher John Mann warned that British Jews are leaving as a result of the controversy.

'That is where we have got to, and it is a lack of leadership at the top of the Labour Party, not just, but including Jeremy Corbyn, and this appalling national executive who have... tried to mess around with a very humdrum, mundane definition of anti-Semitism that left (wing) parties across the world have been happy to accept along with everyone else,' he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

'We are now seeing the first British Jewish people leaving, that is the state we are in, that is the responsibility of the Labour Party.

'It's not a small problem, it's a big problem and it needs sorting now.'

MP Stephen Kinnock urged Mr Corbyn to show 'remorse' over the problems.

'We need to see Jeremy coming forward in his conference speech, particularly, which will be a real opportunity to show remorse for what has happened, to show understanding of the pain and hurt that has been suffered both by my colleagues - particularly Jewish colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party - and the wider Jewish community,' he said.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Scotland Yard is investigating a leaked dossier on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party which it is claimed contains 21 cases that should have been reported to the police.

The document which was made public yesterday details allegations against councillors and members involving messages posted on social media.

The claims include on that a party member posted a message of Facebook saying 'we shall rid the Jews who are cancer on us all...'

Radio station LBC were handed the internal Labour document which details 45 cases in total.

Meanwhile, the GMB union joined calls for a second Brexit vote on the final day of the dead in an attempt to ramp up pressure of Corbyn.

GMB leader Tim Roache said a hard Brexit would prove costly for workers and urged a second vote with a public voting on the facts.

Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly ruled out calling a second referendum despite calls from within her party and Labour alike.

But the GMB decision will add to pressure on Mr Corbyn to shift Labour's position to supporting a vote on the deal.

'How sickening that, as a British Jew, I’m now being told to "go home" - and it’s Corbyn who must take the blame': One mother reveals her sickening experience of the rise in anti-Semitism on our street By Natasha Pearlman for the Daily Mail Three times in my life I have experienced anti-Semitism. The first was in my second year at university. It was a throwaway comment from a very close friend who told another friend to ‘stop being such a Jew’, when he was reluctant to part with some money. I was devastated that someone I loved would say such an anti-Semitic phrase. Journalist Natasha Pearlman, pictured with her two children, Thea, four weeks and Rose, four, right, said as a British Jew she has experienced anti-Semitism three times in her life I explained how offensive it was and my friend was mortified. It was often used at his boarding school (at which there were no Jews) and through genuine ignorance had entered his common parlance. The other incidents happened at work. I was a young journalist in London over a decade ago. One day a colleague came in, holding a leaflet on Judaism. ‘I’m going for lunch with ‘so and so’ today (a Jewish celebrity),’ they announced, waving the pamphlet at me. ‘I’m going to read this beforehand so I can understand people like you.’ Shocked, I said nothing. Later, the same colleague began referring to where I sat (opposite the only other Jewish person in our office) as ‘Jew corner’. To my shame, I said nothing, despite knowing my workplace would have been outraged by it. It was early in my career. I feared that by challenging it I’d be labelled a troublemaker and never work in the industry again. Ms Pearlman, said the first time she encountered anti-Semitism was in college Perhaps it was the Britishness in me — but I believed the comments were not symptomatic of anti-Semitism in our society, just ignorance. Now, for the first time in my 36-year lifetime, I have genuine concerns about the spread of vitriol and abuse against the Jewish community. Because the ‘hatred’ of us has become entwined with Israel — the Jewish homeland. And somehow the Britishness of Jews, our loyalty to the country we call home, the culture in which we exist and are part of, is being called into question. Not by a bunch of ignorant idiots, but by the Labour Party and seemingly the Labour leader himself, Jeremy Corbyn. Only yesterday, Labour’s National Executive Committee finally accepted the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism — accepted around the world by organisations such as the United Nations — in my opinion, far too damagingly late. Even then Corbyn wanted to add a statement permitting criticism of Israel, specifically that the circumstances around its foundation are racist. Yet again, provoking outcry. Why? Because Israel was only necessary due to the Nazis’ mass extermination of the Jews. I am devastated that the party I’ve supported my whole life bears so much responsibility for this. Having been horribly slow to deal with party members accused of anti-Semitism, they had refused to accept the full IHRA definition of anti-Semitism — wanting to omit four clauses, including one of accusing Jewish people of being more loyal to Israel than the country they live in. She said she is devastated by the Labour Party's handling of the anti-Semitism issue Then Corbyn himself was accused of anti-Semitism by Britain’s former Chief Rabbi, Lord (Jonathan) Sacks, after a video from 2013 appeared to show him conflating Jews and Zionists and suggested that ‘having lived in this country for a very long time, probably all their lives, they [the Zionists, but many read Jews, because he was referring to a religious community defined by its immigrant status] don’t understand English irony, either’. Last week, Labour MP Frank Field resigned the party whip, citing that the party was ‘becoming a force for anti-Semitism in politics’. It is against this whole backdrop that a deeply moving documentary is airing on BBC2, with the second episode tonight, called We Are British Jews, exploring anti-Semitism in Britain today. Eight British Jews, from across the political and religious spectrum, go from Manchester to Israel and the West Bank, where they are forced to confront and challenge their deeply felt views. Ms Pearlman is appearing on a BBC documentary examining anti-Semitism in Britain It’s compelling, heart-warming and yet heartbreaking. And brilliantly done. Participants include articulate, nervous university graduate Lilly, who has reservations about the Israeli government’s actions towards the Palestinians. Then there’s deeply religious, pro-Israel activist Joseph, who is surprisingly open to what Lilly has to say. And Damon, a 58-year-old atheist Jew — but fervent Zionist — who’s never been to Israel. It is significant that none of them wanted their surnames made public, for fear of reprisals. I understand that. I’m writing this knowing it will open the floodgates to abuse of my family. Whenever I express concerns about anti-Semitism on social media I’m hit with abuse about being part of the Zionist mafia or told to ‘go home’. Ms Pearlman said as the mother of four-year-old Rose, right, and four-week-old Thea, she was speaking up as the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors As the mother of Rose, four, and Thea, four weeks, I’m speaking up because it is exactly this rhetoric — the questioning of Jews’ loyalty to the country in which they reside, the characterisation of them as ‘other’, as money-grabbing, as not part of general society — that mirrors how Nazis portrayed Jews in the run-up to World War II. I don’t write any of this lightly. I never believed I would write any of this at all. I’m the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors. What happened to my granny and grandfather was so horrific I find it hard to believe anything so revolting could happen again. My grandfather was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo on Kristallnacht and was one of the few men to escape. My granny lost her entire family, including her mother and two sisters who were exterminated at Maly-Trostenets concentration camp in Belarus. In July it was revealed there are now 100 anti-Semitic incidents reported a month (with a 34 per cent rise in anti-Semitic assaults from 2016 to 2017). I’ve often told my worried parents it wasn’t possible it could get worse — with the Holocaust such a recent memory. Now, I’m certain that if we stay silent, there’s a danger the poison seeping into our society will become unstoppable. I hope tonight’s programme will counteract this tide of anti-Semitism. Viewers will be able to see the breadth of the Jewish community, captured intelligently and sensitively. Still, do we really have to showcase the banality of our normal lives, just to prove we are British and normal, like you? You may well warm to a number of the participants, no matter your own politics. Even though I am politically opposed to Right-wing Joseph, I agreed when he noted that Jews, wherever they live in the world, are expected to explain their stance on Israel’s government, when ‘we wouldn’t expect any Muslim to say ISIS has nothing to do with me’. Equally, I supported Lilly questioning the legitimacy of the Israeli government-backed settlements in the Palestinian West Bank — that they’re still building despite being declared illegal by the UN —and the actions of the army against some of the Palestinian citizens. The programme also highlighted the inflammatory way the non-Jewish community speak about Israel, Corbyn in particular. Ms Pearlman said Jeremy Corbyn often uses the terms Zionist and Zionism when criticising Israel, which can be substituted for Jews and Judaism When Corbyn opposes the Israeli government, he almost never uses those words. He takes on Israel —and by extension its people, the Jews. He calls terrorist leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah his friends, yet doesn’t engage with Israelis. He attacks Zionists, not the government. And given that the accepted definition of Zionism is simply the right of Jews’ to self-determination — i.e. the right to a Jewish homeland, just as there exist Islamic states and Christian states — it’s easy to see how easily ‘Zionists’ and ‘Zionism’ can be substituted for Jews and Judaism. In a difficult and upsetting part of the programme, the group visit Manchester University during ‘Israel Apartheid Week’. They encounter streets plastered with posters from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Group (BDS) that specifically target Israel. One of the cast, Alan, 77, observes: ‘There’s never a Syrian Apartheid Week, there’s never any demonstrations against the terrible deaths in Syria. Nothing about the horrible happenings in Yemen. It’s always about Israel.’ And as one Manchester Jewish Society member notes: ‘When there’s a pro-Palestinian or BDS event, we don’t start a fuss. When there’s an Israel event there’s always protests and security issues. When we raise our opinion we’re shouted down. We’re scared to do things in public.’ That last sentence would break my late grandparents’ heart. Because the final few months of their lives in Austria were lived in enforced secrecy — even their Jewish wedding, on July 31, 1938, was conducted under cover of darkness in a friend’s house. By the end of their time in Vienna, they were banned from living publicly as Jews. Having been rejected and expelled from their home country, they clung intensely — like many other Jewish refugees — to Britain, the land that welcomed them, and their newfound Britishness. Austria could never be home again. This is why I’m so disturbed at anti-Semitism in Britain today, where the hatred of us is so entwined with criticism of Israel and a questioning of loyalties. While some comes from the Right, the Left has turned anti-Zionism into a trend. It has become de rigueur to typify us as a homogenous group. The Jews, make no mistake, have become a symbol of hatred. This is why I can no longer stay silent. I am many things in my life — Jewish, a writer, a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife. I’m also British. All my life I presumed that was a given. The fact we, as British Jews, need a programme to show our fellow Brits that we are one of them? Well, in a way, we’ve already lost. The weight of history is on all of us to rectify this. Advertisement