British Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn, who on Monday risked further souring his relationship with the Jewish community by attending a Passover event hosted by the far-left Jewish group Jewdas, said on Tuesday that there is no place for anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and that it will investigate any cases of suspected racism.
Jewdas is known for its far-left and anti-Zionist positions, and has called for the destruction of Israel. The group has also criticized recent protests against Corbyn for failing to tackle anti-Semitism in his party, saying they stem from "faux outrage greased with hypocrisy and opportunism."
"Anti-Semitism is a vile and evil thing within our society at any level, anywhere, any time, and it's got to be eradicated everywhere," Corbyn said Tuesday.
"Wherever it arises, if it arises in my party then we have a process for dealing with it; we examine each case and if someone has committed any anti-Semitic act then they're suspended and ultimately could be expelled as a result of it and we are very very clear about that.
"I'm very, very clear in the whole of our society we cannot accept anti-Semitism in any form or indeed any other form of racism in our society. Communities working together achieve things together. Communities divided, don't."
Jewish Leadership Council Chairman Jonathan Goldstein said Corbyn's actions do not "match up to his words."
But Jon Lansam, head of the pro-Labour network Momentum, defended Corbyn, saying the opposition leader "also has meetings with other sections of the community."
Last week, British Jewish groups protested against Corbyn outside Parliament, accusing him of failing to tackle anti-Semitism in Labour ranks. The issue flared up after it came to light that in 2012, Corbyn questioned a decision by local London authorities to remove a street mural depicting men in suits with big noses playing Monopoly on the backs of naked people – an image reminiscent of anti-Semitic propaganda.
"The question is not whether or not Jeremy Corbyn is or is not an anti-Semite. None of us have ever labeled him as that," Goldstein said.
"The question is as to whether or not he is going to be, as he said he would be, our militant ally in the fight against anti-Semitism. And I'm afraid to say that his actions so far do not match up to his words.
"It's not whether it's enough. It's the fact that his first act following that is to go to a dinner last night with an organization who on Thursday published a letter saying that this was all smears against Jeremy Corbyn and saying that this was a right-wing conspiracy to stop him becoming the prime minister of this country.
"It took us to take to the streets last Monday for an invitation finally to be issued by the leader of the Opposition to the mainstream Jewish community. We responded on Wednesday with a few questions and a request that he stop the attacks on the Labour MPs who bravely stood with us last Monday evening."
However, Lansman said Corbyn "has also met with other sections of the community and has been wanting to have a meeting with representatives of the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council. You know, it [the criticism leveled at Corbyn] doesn't take away from that, so I really don't think it's a problem.
"Any allegation of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party has to be dealt with and answered and investigated. Whoever it comes from, even if it comes from someone who is maybe opportunistically using this issue to undermine Jeremy. That's politics. We still have to deal with any allegations that are made."
