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Anti-Semitism

Combative, provocative and engaging debate chaired by Michael Buerk. With Matthew Taylor, Melanie Philips, Mona Siddiqui and Tim Stanley.

The anti-Semitism crisis engulfing the Labour party has been described by leading Jewish figures as 鈥渁 taint of national and historic shame鈥. Jeremy Corbyn has acknowledged failures in dealing with allegations and the party has now published new materials designed to educate members about anti-Semitic tropes. Nevertheless, Labour is being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission for racism 鈥 an indignity that brackets them with the BNP. According to President Macron, anti-Semitism in Europe is at its highest level since 1945. Stereotypes and ignorance abound. A quarter of the 7,000 Europeans who took part in a recent CNN/ComRes poll believe Jews have too much influence in business and finance, while a third admitted that they knew little or nothing about the Holocaust. Less clear cut is the relationship between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. There is an argument about where the line is, and who has the right to draw it. Since Zionism has at its heart a belief in the Jewish right to self-determination, many Jews believe that those who oppose the state of Israel are anti-Semites. Others 鈥 many Jews included 鈥 don鈥檛 think that anti-Zionism is inherently anti-Semitic, and argue that saying so is merely a way of ignoring Palestinian grievances. Anti-Semitism may be the oldest ethnic hatred, but is it just another form of racism? Or is it a distinct and uniquely pernicious prejudice which must be understood in the context of centuries of violent oppression, dehumanisation and genocide? Anti-Semitism: what is it? what isn鈥檛 it? and how can it be defeated?

Producer: Dan Tierney

Available now

43 minutes

Last on

Sat 27 Jul 2019 22:15

Broadcasts

  • Wed 24 Jul 2019 20:00
  • Sat 27 Jul 2019 22:15

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