In a letter to Britain’s The Times, three prominent Jewish writers accused Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party of “widespread” anti-Semitism disguised as criticism of Israel and its policies.

Award-winning novelist Howard Jacobson and historians and authors Simon Sebag Montefiore and Simon Schama wrote in Monday’s letter (paywall) that they were “troubled by the tone and direction of debate about Israel and Zionism within the Labour Party.”

“We do not object to fair criticism of Israel governments,” they wrote, “but this has grown to be indistinguishable from a demonization of Zionism itself – the right of the Jewish people to a homeland, and the very existence of a Jewish state.”

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While all three have been critical of some Israeli policies in the past, they warned that sometimes criticism can become anti-Semitism.

“Constructive criticism of Israeli governments has morphed into something closer to anti-Semitism under the cloak of so-called anti-Zionism,” they wrote.

Writing a few days after the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for the establishment of Israel, they said Labour’s leader had not done enough to cull anti-Semitism from his party.

“Such themes and language have become widespread in Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party… so far the Labour leadership’s reaction has been derisory. It is not enough to denounce all racisms.”

Corbyn, widely regarded as hostile to Israel, chose not to attend a special Balfour centenary dinner in London last week that was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Instead, a video offering Corbyn’s support was shown at an anti-Balfour rally on Saturday.

An internal inquiry in June 2016 found Labour was not overrun by anti-Semitism but reported an “occasionally toxic atmosphere.”

Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, the party’s Middle East spokesman, insisted last week that Corbyn is not anti-Semitic.

“It doesn’t give me any joy that he’s being vilified,” he said. “I think the perceptions of Jeremy Corbyn’s views are wrong. He certainly doesn’t hate the Jewish people.”

He nonetheless conceded, “We know what his past record is on support for Israel, and it’s not good.”

Bestselling author Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize in 2010 and is known for his occasional outspokenness on matters related to Israel. The novel that won him the prize, “The Finkler Question,” is a look at public discourse about rising European anti-Semitism, and asks whether British anti-Zionism constitutes anti-Semitism.

Author of “The Story of the Jews: Finding The Words 1000 BC-1492 AD,” Schama has also criticized Israel’s policies.

“I am passionately invested in the survival of Israel and everything Israel represents. But I am extremely critical of much of its policy,” Schama said in a 2014 interview with The Times of Israel. “I believe that the occupation must end. And if it doesn’t, it will end Israel. I’m not in favor of settlements.

Montefiore is an author of both fiction and nonfiction, and wrote the bestselling nonfiction book “Jerusalem: the Biography, a Fresh History of the Middle East.”

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On Wednesday, November 8, in Jerusalem, The Times of Israel Presents series will be hosting a screening of “Whitewashed,” a JTV documentary on anti-Semitism in the British Labor Party.