• THANKS to Stephen Kapos for his very moving account as a child survivor of the genocide of Hungarian Jews, (Jews in the Labour Party must be seen in all our diversity, February 28); and for adding to Michael Ellman’s letter (The Board of Deputies represents a minority of Jew, February 20) and Paul O’Brien’s (Some of the ‘pledge’ demands by the board of deputies are deeply concerning, February 13) criticism of the ongoing witch-hunt in the Labour Party incited by the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD) and the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), among others.

Both the JLM & the BoD are indicted in the latest attack against the left, including specifically against the Jewish left.

Last week’s Jewish Chronicle article, “Jewish Labour members angry and fearful after constituency party elections” (March 1) is based on an unnamed JLM member’s allegations and an unspecific quote from the BoD’s director of public affairs, regarding Hampstead and Kilburn Constituency Labour Party.

It is outrageous that a perfectly democratic election is equated to anti-Semitism. Is it because a majority of newly-elected officers, including Jewish ones, are critical of apartheid Israel?

The evidence that Israel has committed war crimes, the crime of apartheid, land theft, water theft, killing of unarmed protesters, including children, medics, journalists, people with disabilities… is indisputable.

Labour Party conference has overwhelmingly passed resolutions in favour of freedom, justice, and human rights for Palestinian people, and the right of return.

The BoD has pressured Labour’s leadership candidates to sign “10 pledges” which, if complied with, would amount to a take-over of Labour’s disciplinary process (another occupation?) by those who want to defeat anti-imperialist support for Palestine.

Nearly 5,000 people, including ourselves, have signed a petition urging candidates not to endorse the pledges but, alarmingly, all have signed except Richard Burgon and Dawn Butler.

The pledges ‘would hand over confidential details of ongoing disciplinary cases to “Jewish representative bodies”. Which “bodies”? Of course the BoD chiefly mean themselves…’

This could result in people losing not only their Labour Party membership, but their jobs, housing and even citizenship.

We urge others to sign opposing these pledges.

MICHAEL KALMANOVITZ
International Jewish
Anti-Zionist Network UK