HP Sauce slanders the Tomb. posted by Richard Seymour

This post at Harry's Place accused myself and Mark Elf of being 'Former anti-fascists'. It is a pretty odious charge to make against Mark Elf who, as a Jewish anti-Zionist, has taken the trouble to criticise anti-Semitism when it appears in the media, (even, worryingly, in a favourite Harry's Place publication known as Weekly Worker). Elf, like self, remains an anti-Fascist . Harry's post also seriously misrepresents my argument, and insinuates a great deal besides what it actually says. I've written a brief missive:

Harry, you have closed your comments box on the post relating to my discussion of increasing anti-Semitic attacks, but I think - given what you insinuate and openly state - that I am entitled to reply.

I'd like to make a few things clear.

You say: "I do however recall people arguing that we should not believe what we read in Searchlight magazine because it was produced by Jews. The people who put forward that argument were fascists and neo-Nazis."

I do read Searchlight and recommend it to anyone as a genuine anti-fascist magazine. I don't always agree with it, but my positive reaction to it has nothing to do with it being produced by Jews. My 'caveat' about the report in the Independent had nothing to do with the Judaism of those who produced the CST report, but with the ideological commitment to the defense of Israel. I believe there are reasonable grounds for supposing that the report could include some spin. I also believe that much of the increasing manifestation of anti-Semitism is related to the Middle East and a small minority of idiots - both Muslim and non-Muslim - accepting the conflation of Judaism with Israel. It is precisely that conflation that I was arguing against.

You say that I blame the rise of anti-Semitic attacks on "those Jews who support the existence of Israel."

I do not. To support the existence of Israel is one thing. My objection is to those who conflate Israel with Judaism, and therefore brand criticism of Israel, particularly anti-Zionism, as anti-Semitic. Not only is it a disgraceful gesture, but it places individual Jews in danger from the idiots who accept such a conflation. I do not believe this attenuates the force of any judgement against those responsible for such attacks.

I argued at the end of my post for a united front, if you like, of people from all races and creeds against these attacks and other forms of racist attack, which are also increasingly common. That is why I remain a paid-up member of the Anti-Nazi League, have been active in it, and cheerfully condemn - without reserve - all those who engage in racist attacks.

"lenin"