ACCUSATIONS that a call to investigate pro-Israel meddling in UK politics is “antisemitic” were slapped down by MPs.
A petition calling for a probe into the influence of the Israel lobby was debated in Westminster Hall on Monday and was denounced by a number of MPs, many with links to the Israel lobby.
But other MPs argued that it was not antisemitic to criticise Israel or the extensive lobbying operation to back it in the UK.
Opening the debate for the Petitions Committee, Tory MP John Lamont said: “We should be collectively clear that allegations of covert Jewish or pro-Israel control of politics are not legitimate political criticism, they are rooted in a tradition of antisemitic conspiracy theory that has caused immense harm throughout history.”
Elsewhere, Labour MP Peter Prinsley, who is Jewish, said: “The idea that Jews exercise hidden influence over politics, democracy and society is not new, it is an ancient conspiracy theory repeatedly used to isolate Jews, undermine social cohesion and stoke hatred.
“Let us come to our senses. We must reject antisemitism in all its forms, reject conspiracy theory dressed up as political analysis, and defend a politics based on evidence, decency and truth.”
But a number of MPs stood to argue against allegations of antisemitism, pointing out that it was not antisemitic to point out Israeli meddling in UK politics or the state itself.
Independent MP Ayoub Khan said: “It’s not about Jewish communities, it’s not about Jewish identity and it’s not about denying anyone the right to advocate for Israel, Palestine or any other state.”
Shockat Adam, also an independent MP, added: “Conflating people’s religion to their Government’s actions is totally unacceptable, criticising the state of Israel and its actions, especially this present Government, is antisemitic.”
Elsewhere, independent MP Iqbal Mohamed said that those who signed the petition “would just like to hold our government and our system to account for these donations”.
Taking an intervention from Labour’s Gareth Snell asking for a definition of pro-Israel donors, Mohamed replied: “Donors who turn a blind eye to blatant violations of Israeli law, British law or international law, that’s where I would leave that definition.”
He added: “We rightly sanctioned Russia for undermining democratic institutions, warn about the threat from China and Iran to our political system, yet when substantial evidence of foreign influence concerns Israel our principles of transparency, scrutiny and accountability appear to vanish.”
