The communist Morning Star newspaper has removed from its website an article which blamed mainstream Jewish groups for rising anti-Semitism. The article by John Elder, headlined “Rising anti-Semitism cannot be tackled without addressing Israel’s crimes”, argued:

“‘Mainstream’ Jewish organisations protesting about growing anti-Semitism must see that, by failing to condemn Israeli brutality against Palestinians, they will be regarded by some as being indirectly complicit in that country’s actions.”

It has now disappeared from the Morning Star website:

The Morning Star has now published another piece condemning the article:

Its rationale, that Jews everywhere are responsible for the actions of the Israeli government, is by reverse exactly the argument put forward by the Israeli government and right-wing zionists. But that cannot be acceptable in a daily paper of the left, which has anti-imperialism at its heart and should be challenging all forms of racism, including anti-semitism.

We write as long time supporters of the Morning Star. There is an expectation that features can be as challenging as is necessary. But the blinkered and reactionary nature of the Elder article has to become a line in the sand. Jews and all citizens should be encouraged to challenge actual and existing anti-semitism. Our paper should be at the forefront of that movement.

Grim stuff.