For many Jewish New Zealanders, their decision on which political candidate to support will at least partly be based on that candidate\u2019s position on Israel and \u201cthe conflict\u201d, as well as their sensitivity around anti-Semitism as it exists in 2017.<\/p>\n
Jacinda Ardern, who may well be New Zealand\u2019s PM in two weeks, has given little away in terms of her position on both of these matters, although in general she comes across as moderate on international matters, and strong against racism.<\/p>\n
A few days ago, however, Ardern proudly shared an endorsement she\u2019d received that may have caused a few Jewish Kiwis some discomfort. \u00a0This was from UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn \u2013 a man seen by many progressives as a hero of the left. \u00a0But for the vast majority of UK Jews \u2013 and many Kiwi Jews too \u2013 he is seen as tolerant of anti-Semitism, if not actively anti-Semitic.<\/p>\n
Corbyn\u2019s problems with Jews go back a while. The list of worrying alliances, statements, and failures to act is long and growing. \u00a0His supporters, citing his lifetime commitment to fighting \u201call forms of racism\u201d, \u00a0have dismissed these concerns as \u2018smears\u2019 and\u00a0the weaponisation of anti-Semitism for political gain<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is difficult to imagine an ethnic group whose legitimate concerns over racism have been more blatantly dismissed by a mainstream western political party in recent years. Among all ethnic groups, it seems that only Jews are considered ill-qualified to determine for themselves what constitutes racism against them.<\/p>\n In the recent UK election,\u00a0polls indicated that only 13% of Jews supported Corbyn\u2019s Labour<\/a>\u00a0party. \u00a0This is a dramatic reversal of UK Jews\u2019 traditional support for Labour. \u00a0In fact, it has been suggested that, in the narrow race,\u00a0Jewish alienation may have helped the Conservatives retain power<\/a>.<\/p>\n So why is Jeremy Corbyn such a toxic name in Jewish circles? \u00a0The following is just a representative sample of some of the incidents, statements and allegiances that have given rise to this distrust of the UK Labour leader:<\/p>\n The compounding effect of the above is a discernible disquiet about Corbyn and his party\u2019s attitude toward Jews and their apparently obsessive hatred of Israel. As David Mercer, former director of Labour Friends of Israel,\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0the Guardian in 2015:<\/p>\n \u201cThousands of years of persecution have given Jewish people a sixth sense, and with Corbyn the alarm bells are ringing extremely loudly. There is a way in which he frames his views that makes me feel very uncomfortable. When I listen to Corbyn speak on almost any issue, I get the feeling this is a man who doesn\u2019t like my community.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, the Chairman of the Jewish Labour movement, Jeremy Newmark,\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0the BBC:<\/p>\n \u201cJeremy Corbyn appears to have failed to understand the nature of contemporary anti-Semitism in the same way that it\u2019s understood by most of its target group.\u201d<\/p>\n\n