CST letter in Guardian

Today's Guardian has published the below letter from CST.

On 17 November, the Guardian published my letter against contributors’ use of antisemitic imagery. This followed Steve Bell’s cartoon, depicting Tony Blair and William Hague as Benjamin Netanyahu’s glove puppets (16 November).

I said antisemitic “language may well be inadvertent” and explained why the puppets fitted this pattern. In reply, three letters (19 November) wrongly accused me of conflating all “criticism” of Israel as antisemitic and inferred that I lie on behalf of Israel. The last letter ended by calling me a “zealot”: somewhat ironic, given the nature of my complaint. 

This squabble exemplifies, in miniature, the ugly exception that is being made of antisemitism within some anti-racist and anti-Israel circles. Offensive behaviour is routinely defended, mainstream Jewish views are grossly misrepresented and complainants are roundly abused. It is a disgrace.  

Mark Gardner, CST

Other letters, for and against, are also published. They can be seen here.