This is not the first time that Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of anti-Semitism. But this time, the charge came from Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mivris himself. "The way [Labor's] leadership has dealt with anti-Jewish racism is incompatible with the British values ​​of which we are so proud - those of dignity and respect for all," the religious wrote in a published column on Tuesday, November 26. , by The Times newspaper.

"A new poison - approved from above - has taken root in the Labor Party," he said. "When December 12 comes, I ask everyone to vote in conscience, do not doubt, the very soul of our nation is at stake," he added, suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn was "unfit "to govern.

In the midst of the election campaign, the charge is a blow for Jeremy Corbyn who defended himself, assuring the chief rabbi "was wrong". "We will not allow anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever in our society, because it is a poison that divides, just like Islamophobia or extreme right-wing racism", insisted Jeremy Corbyn on the BBC.

MP accuses Labor of being "institutionally anti-Semitic"

Very unusual, the intervention of the Chief Rabbi was all the more remarkable as it occurred on the day of Labor's launch of its special program to strengthen the fight against discrimination in case of victory. This is a major issue when the Labor leader is regularly accused of complacency towards some members of his party who have made anti-Semitic remarks.

The Labor leader finally admitted in August 2018 that the party was experiencing a "real problem" of anti-Semitism, that it had been "too slow" to impose disciplinary sanctions in proven cases, claiming that its priority was to "restore the trust" of the Jewish community.

Several voices joined the chief rabbi, including the Jewish-born Liberal Democrat Luciana Berger, who slammed the door of Labor in February, accusing him of being "institutionally anti-Semitic." "At the last meeting I had with Jeremy Corbyn in late 2017, I told him that many public and private Facebook groups, stained with anti-Semitic posts, were using the name and photo of the labor leader. Nothing has been done about this after this meeting, "she said on Twitter.

I left @UKLabour earlier this year because I bet on the same place that betrays the very values ​​- of equality and antiracism - that led me to join in the first place.

- Luciana Berger (@lucianaberger) November 25, 2019



The vote of British Jews can make a difference

With two weeks of early elections when all votes count, this new accusation could be costly to Labor, which remains behind in the polls by the Conservatives of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
"These accusations against Jeremy Corbyn are not new, it's been three years since they lasted, but by choosing this timing, the chief rabbi sounds the alarm for the British Jewish community, saying in essence that this man can not be a future prime minister, "says Bénédicte Paviot, France 24 correspondent in London.

"The Jewish community is very anxious," she adds. With close to 300,000 people between England and Wales, the vote of British Jews can make a difference. "Many are already saying that they will not vote for him because they feel he has not acted fast enough to eradicate this problem of anti-Semitism in the Labor," says the journalist France 24. On four occasions during Jeremy Corbyn's interview with the BBC, the journalist asked him if he would apologize. Each time, the leader of Labor refused.

With AFP