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We in the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign are anti-racist. National PSC is anti-racist. It is a condition of membership and we have expelled\nracists in general and anti-Semites in particular. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So why do we object to the council adopting the IHRA definition of\nanti-Semitism? The actual definition is\nfine[i]<\/a>. The\nproblem is that examples of anti-Semitism include believing that Israel is a\nracist state.[ii]<\/a> Sadly there is plenty of evidence that it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1948 the embryonic state of\nIsrael ethnically cleansed 750,000 Palestinians. This is what a spokesman for the Jewish\nNational Fund stated: “Between ourselves it must be clear that\nthere is no room for both peoples together in this country. We shall not\nachieve our goal if the Arabs are in this small country. There is no other way\nthan to transfer the Arabs from here to neighbouring countries – all of them.\nNot one village, not one tribe should be left.<\/em>“[iii]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Israel from its foundation adopted two policies 1. Expel Palestinians and prevent them from\nreturning to their homes which was in defiance of United Nations Resolution 194[iv]<\/a>\n2. Give the right to emigrate to Israel\nto all Jews whether they have any desire to, or have any reasonable links to\nPalestine-Israel. This is clearly racist\ndiscrimination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It continues to this day. \nLast year Israel passed the Nation State law. \u201cIsrael\nis the historical homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive\nright to national self-determination in it\u2026\u201d.[v]<\/a> There are nearly two million Palestinians in\nthe state of Israel. They have been\nrelegated to second class citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adalah demonstrated that there are\n65 laws in Israel that discriminate against Palestinians\u2026\u201dThese laws limit the rights of\nPalestinians in all areas of life, from citizenship rights to the right to\npolitical participation, land and housing rights, education rights, cultural\nand language rights, religious rights and\u2026during detention\u201d[vi]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Israel continues to\nillegally annex Palestinian land. Israel\nhas illegally settled 600,000 Israelis in Palestinian lands[vii]<\/a>. \u201cIsrael\u2019s\nSettlements Have No Legal Validity, Constitute Flagrant Violation of\nInternational Law, Security Council Reaffirms\u201d.[viii]<\/a> Netanyahu plans to annex the Jordan valley- a\nmove condemned by the European Union[ix]<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Worse, Israel is creating an Apartheid state in the West\nBank. There are separate laws for Palestinian\nchildren and Israeli children[x]<\/a>. There are separate rules for water\nconsumption in the West Bank[xi]<\/a>\n[xii]<\/a> There are roads that Palestinians are not\nallowed to travel on[xiii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An Israeli ambassador commented \u201cIn the situation that exists today, until a Palestinian\nstate is created, we are actually one state. This joint state \u2014 in the hope\nthat the status quo is temporary \u2014 is an apartheid state.\u201d[xiv]<\/a> Desmond Tutu said “I am especially urging the Assembly to adopt the\noverture naming Israel as an apartheid state through its domestic policies and\nmaintenance of the occupation, and the overture calling for divestment of\ncertain companies that contribute to the occupation of the Palestinian\npeople,”. Five years ago, John\nKerry, US spokesman, said that \u2018Israel risks\nbecoming an apartheid state if peace talks fail.\u2019 That was five years ago, and talks did fail.[xv]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Two\nfinal points must be made. Jews are not\nresponsible for the policies of Israel. \nThe attitudes of Israel are the responsibility of the Government of\nIsrael and the uncritical military, diplomatic and economic support of Western leaders\nlike Donald Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nfinal point is that the Labour council has tied solidarity for the Palestinians\nwith the slur of anti-Semitism. There are\na number of Palestinian solidarity activities that have been curtailed because\ncouncils and other bodies have adopted this flawed definition of\nanti-Semitism. The Big ride for\nPalestine has raised \u00a3130,000 pounds for children charities within Palestine. [xvi]<\/a> The\nfinal rally in London was due to finish up in Tower Hamlets. The council cancelled the venue because the\ncouncil had adopted the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and they feared that\nthey would be accused of anti-Semitism. \nIn the Sheffield debate, Council Leader Julie Dore stated article 10 of\nthe Human Rights Act allows freedom of expression[xvii]<\/a>\nand that this trumps whatever the council choses to adopt. It makes no sense adopting a definition that\nis immediately trumped by a human rights act. \nHowever, we know from experience that councils and other bodies will\nassume that basic solidarity with the Palestinians is somehow anti-Semitic and\nfeel free to cancel venues and speakers. Pease read the letters overleaf and\nwrite to the council. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sheffield Town Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear Julie Dore<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have noted the adoption of the IHRA definition of\nanti-Semitism by the Sheffield City Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have read some evidence that Israel is a racist state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I conclude that the examples associated with the IHRA\ndefinition of anti-Semitism will have the effect of curtailing legitimate\ncriticisms of Israel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I feel it will also curtail legitimate acts of solidarity\nwith the Palestinians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I ask the council to reconsider the adoption of the clauses associated\nwith the IHRA definition of anti Semitism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yours<\/p>\n\n\n\n Name Address\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sheffield Town Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear Julie Dore<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have read the statement by Palestine solidarity Campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have read some evidence that Israel does appear to be\nracist and the IHRA definition does appear to be flawed. Is there any statement in the PSC document\nthat you would like to disagree with or question?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many Thanks<\/p>\n\n\n\n Name Address [i]<\/a> Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be\nexpressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of\nantisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and\/or their\nproperty, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n [ii]<\/a>[ii]\nhttps:\/\/www.holocaustremembrance.com\/node\/196<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n [iii]<\/a> http:\/\/www.csun.edu\/~csunupj\/israel.htm<\/p>\n\n\n\n [iv]<\/a> https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_194<\/p>\n\n\n\n [v]<\/a> https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-israel-politics-law-idUSKBN1K901V<\/p>\n\n\n\n [vi]<\/a> https:\/\/www.adalah.org\/en\/content\/view\/7771<\/p>\n\n\n\n [vii]<\/a> https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-middle-east-38888649<\/p>\n\n\n\n [viii]<\/a>\nhttps:\/\/www.un.org\/press\/en\/2016\/sc12657.doc.htm<\/p>\n\n\n\n [ix]<\/a> https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/eu-condemns-netanyahu-plan-to-annex-jordan-valley\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n [x]<\/a> JURIST Guest Columnist Rifat Kassis,\nPresident of Defence for Children International<\/strong><\/a> (DCI), argues that Palestinian\nchildren detained by the Israeli military often face abuse, mistreatment and\ntorture in violation of international law and human rights<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xi]<\/a>\nBut it’s also a day to remember,\nand fight for, 2.1 million Palestinians who suffer something different – an\nartificial water scarcity deliberately created and sustained by Israel’s\nmilitary occupation, and the private Israeli water company Mekorot.\nhttps:\/\/theecologist.org\/2014\/mar\/22\/water-apartheid-palestine-crime-against-humanity<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xii]<\/a> http:\/\/www.alhaq.org\/monitoring-documentation\/15167.html<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xiii]<\/a>\nhttps:\/\/www.btselem.org\/freedom_of_movement\/checkpoints_and_forbidden_roads<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xiv]<\/a> https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/joint-israel-west-bank-reality-is-an-apartheid-state\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xv]<\/a> https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2014\/apr\/28\/israel-apartheid-state-peace-talks-john-kerry<\/a>. He did later regret using those words. <\/p>\n\n\n\n [xvi]<\/a> https:\/\/www.thebigride4palestine.com\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n [xvii]<\/a>\nhttps:\/\/www.equalityhumanrights.com\/en\/human-rights-act\/article-10-freedom-expression<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We in the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign are anti-racist. National PSC is anti-racist. It is a condition of membership and we have expelled racists in general and anti-Semites in particular. So why do we object to the council adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism? The actual definition is fine[i]. The problem is that examples of … Continue reading Sheffield City Council has adopted a definition of Anti-Semitism that curbs legitimate criticism of Israel and prevents some basic solidarity with the Palestinians.<\/span>
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