The pro-Israel, so-called ‘Jewish Greens‘ group of the Green Party have followed their pro-genocide manoeuvres to block an anti-Zionism conference motion with an attack on the Canary. The group, which labelled the Greens’ Jewish party leader as ‘antisemitic’ for opposing genocide, successfully filibustered the “Zionism is Racism” motion tabled at the last party conference. Now it is trying to push through a motion condemning the Canary for covering their manoeuvres.
Protected belief – but not for some Green members
The group, better named ‘Greens for genocide’, has targeted the Canary’s coverage and in particular a guest article by anti-Zionist academic Prof David Miller. Miller is well known for establishing anti-Zionism as a legally-protected philosophy. Unsurprisingly, his thoroughly-sourced dissection of the group’s tactics to kill the anti-genocide motion pulls no punches.
The full, long-winded motion that the group wants the Greens’ conference to pass claims that the Canary’s coverage has been “badly evidenced or unevidenced” and implies, without evidence, that the coverage is misogynistic and will lead to antisemitism. Unsurprisingly, no lawsuits have been brought and no complaints lodged with regulator IMPRESS that the Canary is aware of. Instead, the group has opted for ‘trial by conference’.
The introduction reads:
Conference stands in solidarity with our members who are being smeared and are targets of conspiracy theories perpetuated by the Canary ‘news’ outlet. Multiple articles have been published which name members with claims against those members which appear to be largely badly evidenced or unevidenced guess work and speculation; fabrication; half-truths; and misinformation presented together to confound the truth: Conference notes the article “Revealed; the insiders who filibustered the ‘Zionism is Racism’ motion at the Green party Conference” written by David Miller, which makes claims about Jewish Green members representing them as a homogenous bloc on the politics of Israel-Palestine; we understand and respect that these members have differing opinions on the Zionism is Racism motion, and vastly differing views on Israel-Palestine. Their Jewishness is their only common feature. We are aware that, by publishing this article, including personal details, the Canary has created a risk of antisemitic abuse directed towards our members, their families and their synagogues, and are therefore perpetuating antisemitism.
Criticism ≠ misogyny
The motion then moves on to imply that because some of the saboteurs the Canary has exposed – including extracts from their chats planning resistance to the anti-Zionism motion – are women, the coverage has been misogynistic.
In addition, it claims – despite shamelessly filibustering the anti-Zionist motion themselves – that exposing plans to block a vote are somehow anti-democratic:
Conference also notes several other articles which appear to serve to ‘name and shame’ women members – who hold or have held governance posts – on factional lines pertaining to Israel-Palestine based on the Canary’s incorrect understanding of their beliefs or disapproval of how they have carried out their duties. This has led to rumours and false allegations of political allegiances which they do not hold, which has exposed them to abuse & risked damaging their relationship with the Party. Conference interprets this as an attempt to subvert our internal democracy through intimidation and ostracization to progress a factional agenda. It is not within the culture or values of the Green Party to treat members according to the sentiment ‘if you’re not willing to be our tool then you are our enemy’, and Conference condemns the Canary for using its platform in this way. News outlets exist to report on current affairs, not manipulate them. Freedom of the press is not a free pass for defamation.
Presumably, this refers in part to women like Zionist Elise Benjamin – she describes herself as an “indigenous Judean” and coordinated much of the effort against the ‘Zionism is racism’ motion. The Canary exposed Benjamin’s chats on the topic, including – for example – suggesting to a fellow member that an ‘asthma attack’ might be a good way of dragging out the conference debate so it ran out of time:
It seems that the ‘Jewish Greens’ believe such nonsense shouldn’t be exposed and criticised if it’s from a woman. But it’s the Canary that is trying to ‘manipulate’ Green politics, apparently.
‘They’re all the same’
Cynically, the motion then tries to bring Green delegates onside by lumping the anti-racist, anti-genocide Canary in with the actually-racist ‘mainstream’ media. Exposing Zionist anti-democratic manoeuvres is presented as if it’s part of a spectrum with the ‘MSM’ war on refugees, Muslims and Black people – for whom the Canary without exception goes to bat:
Conference also notes that this is part of a trend of party members from minoritised groups being targeted by other parts of the UK press and condemns these equally. Conference Resolves:
To confirm that the Green Party understands the need for a free press with rigorous journalistic enquiry, with significant due diligence to ensure claims made are based in evidence, and rejecting that racism & xenophobia are an acceptable part of political discourse and the misuse of public platforms to publish personal details with no public interest in order to intimidate. We will always protect our members.
To express our solidarity with all members and their families impacted by the Canary’s actions, as well as all members who are attacked by the UK press focusing on their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or who . . are experiencing press coverage designed to intimidate.
This is on a par with the Starmer government’s shameless tactics of pushing through a ‘terror’ ban on anti-genocide activists by grouping them with neo-Nazi groups in the proscription bill.
It’s also not the first time this has been tried against the Canary – and Skwawkbox. Fanatical Israel supporter – and anti-Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller hatemonger – ‘Lord’ John Mann tried it in 2021.
Mann commissioned tame pro-Israel ‘academics’ to publish a paper on supposed antisemitism in independent media. The paper lumped together the Canary and Skwawkbox with far-right sites pushing grotesque antisemitism. Even the tame academics couldn’t find examples of antisemitism on either left site – but their conclusions ignored this. Press regulator IMPRESS decided to pre-emptively investigate the paper’s wild claims – and rightly dismissed them outright. The Israel lobby and its enablers have never give up on their hatred for the Canary – now merged with Skwawkbox, as this new motion shows.
Bring out the Green pitchforks!
The Israel lobby has a long, long record of trying to destroy the lives of those who dare challenge it. And so it is with this barely-disguised pro-Israel motion. It ends by trying to whip up a mob and point it to where the pitchforks are stored, by trying to whip up complaints to the regulator. And it even demands that the party divert its resources to fund legal action by the pro-genocide ‘victims’ exposed by the Canary’s investigations:
To signpost all impacted members to ‘Impress’ which is the press regulator The Canary is registered with should they feel the need to register a complaint. Their website is https://www.impressorg.com/.
To reimburse reasonable legal costs of any member who has suffered detriment by the Canary in their capacity as Green Party members who seeks remedy through a civil lawsuit.
Instructs GPEx to contact the Canary on behalf of the Green Party to make our opposition to the targeted abuse of our members clear.
On the one hand, these tactics are so transparent and Israel-serving that they are almost laughable. On the other, they represent a further, deeply sinister attempt by the Israel lobby to silence independent journalism – the only journalism willing to expose it.
It should be treated with the contempt it deserves. Whether it is – well, that will depend on the Greens’ conference committee, and if that committee allows this nonsense to a vote, on the awareness of Green party delegates about what it is trying to do.
Featured image via the Canary
By Skwawkbox
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