I've been thinking about this a lot and here's my take: I think I (and many others) struggle here because of classic cognitive dissonance. Not because Labour is antisemitic (it, as a party and a majority of people, obviously is not), but because the dialogue around the topic is a quagmire when it comes to perspective and fairness. Here's where my thought process is right now:
First, the reason Labour-antisemitism claims have more traction is the same reason Israel's human rights issues have more traction - as the party of equality and the only democracy in the Middle East, we expect better of both. This doesn't make it fair, but it may help clarify the reality of coverage, to an extent.
Second, I think this is further complicated by the fact that those on the receiving end of these attacks may, naturally, recognize something in the claims which is not there. In the case of Israel, critics are actually antisemitic. Why else would they make an issue out of Israel and not instert-other-country-here? There most be something specific about the Jewish people which would bring them to sanction Israel rather than any other country. In the case of Labour, critics are right-wingers - why else would the criticism be specifically aimed at Labour? There must be something about Labour which irks specifically, or else there would be no need to highlight one party in particular.
I think this thought process has helped me make sense of the issue, anyway. We, on the left, wouldn't excuse Israel of human rights issues simply because other regimes do equal and worse. So we shouldn't excuse antisemitism in Labour because it may find a more natural home amongst other parties.
The simplest solution is for very explicit, recorded, and clear processes to expunge antisemitism in Labour. I don't think this is an impossible task. I also think that this process is already underway. It needs to be further clarified, and connections with the Jewish community made to support it and get feedback. This is because there has to be faith on the other side (in any situation like this) that this process is legitimate.
What I think your take is missing, if that doesn't sound patronising, is what many, many long standing Labour voters are really, really pissed off with - and it is pushed on here - is the "who the fuck else are you going to vote for". We had it with Blair and Iraq, and now we have it with Corbyn.
I've been thinking about this a lot and here's my take: I think I (and many others) struggle here because of classic cognitive dissonance. Not because Labour is antisemitic (it, as a party and a majority of people, obviously is not), but because the dialogue around the topic is a quagmire when it comes to perspective and fairness. Here's where my thought process is right now:
First, the reason Labour-antisemitism claims have more traction is the same reason Israel's human rights issues have more traction - as the party of equality and the only democracy in the Middle East, we expect better of both. This doesn't make it fair, but it may help clarify the reality of coverage, to an extent.
Second, I think this is further complicated by the fact that those on the receiving end of these attacks may, naturally, recognize something in the claims which is not there. In the case of Israel, critics are actually antisemitic. Why else would they make an issue out of Israel and not instert-other-country-here? There most be something specific about the Jewish people which would bring them to sanction Israel rather than any other country. In the case of Labour, critics are right-wingers - why else would the criticism be specifically aimed at Labour? There must be something about Labour which irks specifically, or else there would be no need to highlight one party in particular.
I think this thought process has helped me make sense of the issue, anyway. We, on the left, wouldn't excuse Israel of human rights issues simply because other regimes do equal and worse. So we shouldn't excuse antisemitism in Labour because it may find a more natural home amongst other parties.
The simplest solution is for very explicit, recorded, and clear processes to expunge antisemitism in Labour. I don't think this is an impossible task. I also think that this process is already underway. It needs to be further clarified, and connections with the Jewish community made to support it and get feedback. This is because there has to be faith on the other side (in any situation like this) that this process is legitimate.