Zionism and anti-Semitism

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Semitism a force for good JSG members Pottins and and speak of the Jewish Heiser sided with the The point is not that judges never grant a fair hearing, in their own terms - but that the labour movement should not look to the 'fair hearings' of its class enemy JEREMY Green (SO December 9) of the Jewish Socialist Group tries to whitewash the role ot Zionism in its dealings with anti-Semites. He also attacks my pamphlet on Zionism and anti-Semitism as 'bad" without even having read it!

He accuses me of ignoring those left Zionists who fought with the Bolsheviks in 1917, yet on the first page of the sectíon on Socialist Zionism I explicitly refer to the Borochov Regiment.

Green forgets, though, tbat the Zionist leadership under Weizmann urged that the Balfour Declaratin (Britain's concordat with Zionism) be issued in November precisely in order that Russian Jews might oppose the Bolshevik I have become extremely concerned at the inadequacy of Socialist Organiser's coverage of the North of Ireland during recent weeks and months. Comrade O'Mahony's article (SO 113) is a useful reference point in this respect.

Comrade O'Mahony rightly criticises the basic impracticability of Militant's Irish strategy, combining his oftenstated critique of their crass economism with a general statement of the basic elements of an alternative based on a need to recognise the central importance of the 'constitutional' question whilst also recognising the importance of trade union struggles. So far, so good.

What is disturbing revolution.

He mentions Hanna Senesh, the woman parachuted into Hungary, as interest the ganising. the Honey interest Jewish resistance against the Nazis, and to excuse their collaboration with them. But it was the Zionists in Hungary, under Kastner, who betrayed her and others to the Gestapo, and who didn't lift a finger to save them. This was the testimony of Hannah's mother in the Kastner trial in Israel.

The Kishinev pogroms, incidentally were in 1903 not 1882. Green mentions those in the British labour movement who opposed the immigration of Jewish refugees from Europe, forgetting that it was Theodore Herzl, founder the inadequacy of SO's response to, and comments on, both of these questions. Whilst stating its general commitment to building a united working-class on the basis of an end to partition, SO has both largely ignored important. industrial struggles, with the partial exception of the NHS dispute, e.g. the fight to save jobs at DeLorean involving occupation of the plant, the victimisation and personal surcharging of a trade union official in Newry, and, more explicitly, failed to respond to important developments in the Republican struggle in anything other than cynical and detached manner.

The victory of Provisional Sinn Fein candidates in of Political Zionism, who appeared before the 1902 Aliens Commission arguing that Europe's unwanted Jews could be diverted to Palestine!

Of course it is no coincidence that Zionism arose after anti-Semitic outrages; the point is, what kind of reaction to anti-Semitism is Zionism? Does it seek to combat it or accept antiSemitism as the natural reaction of Gentiles to the Jews in their midst?

If the latter maybe Green can answer why:

1) Did anti-Semites from Leese, Class, Fritsch to Heydrich welcome Zionism?

2) Why did Zionists such as Katzkin, Prinz, Goldmann Horal coo in antiLICIAL re the recent Assembly election, standing on a platform giving unequivocal support to the armed struggle, combined with a focus on social issues such as bad housing and unemployment, as faced by Catholic and Protestants alike (consistently expressed throughout their limited media coverage), provides an opportunity for republicans and socialists to begin to develop a more effective political campaigning strategy.

There is clearly a split within the Provisional movement between the 'old-style' militarists and more politically aware, socialist-inclined activists such as Gerry: Adams. Surely Socialist Organiser should be attempting to influence the debate (or at diaspora the same contempt as the antiSemites?

Because without antiSemitism there is no Zionism. Even today Israel arms the Phalangists, who in turn supply. the European Nazis. who then European Nope, ho then Is Jewish communities. This is the logic of Zionism: that, far trom being a haven tor Jews around the world, it actually endangers them It is a pity that the Jewish Socialist Group is reverting to its traditional role of apologists for left Zionism.

But since Green is keen to lecture anti-Zionists on the need "to fight hardest against real anti-Semitism" narhane ho ran arnlain arha least be informing its readers of it) and be giving at least qualified political support to Adams and co. Instead SO's coverage of the election and its aftermath has been pitiful.

O'Mahony's • article makes no mention at all of Provisional Sinn Fein, merely dismissing the more sectarian IRSP in a single paragraph. Seemingly the political representatives of the republican communities of West Belfast, Derry, Armagh and Fermanagh, in their fight against a brutal army of occupation, are of little importance.

Do the comrades in Islington, involved in the admirable attempt to allow those representatives platform in London, agree?

PETER JONES Manchester Workers Revolutionary Party at the. . recent Labour Committee on Palestine conference. The WRP distinguishes itself by refusing to condemn Ghaddafi's statements exonerating Hitler.

I am quite happy to debate with the JSG anytime, anywhere, concerning Zionism and antiSemitism.

TONY GREENSTEIN Labour Movement Campaign for Palestine Dear S.o, We invite readers to send us their letters, up to a usual maximum length of 400 words.

Send to Socialist Organiser, c/o 28, Middle Lane. London N8.