Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. It seems the British Left has ran out of ideological claims
Photo: Getty Images
Prof. Yossi Shain
Photo: Amit Magal
Winds of disillusionment blowing through Britain's Left?
Op-ed: Last week, in the heart of London, one could feel the fear of jihadist terror. This major threat may even lead to a change in the Left, although the anti-Israel slogans will likely take center stage again after a few months of relative calm.
LONDON - The British Parliament decided last week that the United Kingdom would participate in the US-led airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria.
Despite the heated debate between the David Cameron government and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who opposed the decision, it seems the British Left has ran out of ideological claims and is only left with strategic and tactical criticism based on the failure of the intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I have seen many protest rallies of the European Left since the 1980s. The protestors were usually a merger of socialist bodies alongside "liberal" Palestinian and Islamist elements who spoke in favor of freedom. They always condemned "racist Zionism." Even in central Manhattan, on 67th Street in Hunter College, dozens of American students chanted slogans in favor of an "intifada" and an "end to the occupation" several days ago.
Several days earlier, I watched the left-wing protest near Buckingham Palace. It was an impressive event: Thousands stood in the cold, carrying signs against the decision to strike in Syria. On the nearby pavements, there were stands with Labor posters and newspapers of the socialist and Trotskyist front, with huge headlines against capitalism and conservatism. In the crowd, there were many protestors with a Middle Eastern appearance, including men in keffiyehs and women covered in black from head to toe.
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These chants are familiar from protests in different cities in Europe, but this time, In London, I witnessed an interesting innovation. None of the speakers - including parliament members, intellectuals and media personalities - mentioned Israel and the Palestinians even once.
Anti-Israel protest in London during Operation Protective Edge. This time, none of the Left's speakers mentioned Israel and the Palestinians even once (Archive photo: AP)
Is the British Left undergoing a change following the massacre in Paris? Experience shows that disillusionment is usually reserved for a short period of time only. But there is no doubt that even the British radical left can no longer ignore the jihadist threat and divert the attention by using empty slogans against colonialism and capitalism. In fact, even prominent Labor leaders have supported Prime Minister Cameron's stance on the need for a military intervention against ISIS, while facing the anger of radical protestors slamming their stance.
Yet it seems that even the British Left on the streets of London had a new message this time: All the speakers at the rally spoke against "ISIS's barbarity." Moreover, they all lashed out at different governments' support for radical Islam. Calls against Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which are teaming up with jihadist forces against Kurds, women and homosexuals were made by all speakers.
Some of the claims against airstrikes in Syria sound logical and realistic. The speakers asked: Will the intervention in Syria get the West entangled like it was in Afghanistan and Iraq? By bombing ISIS, are the British backing the continuation of Bashar Assad's regime? What are Britain's goals in Syria? Why is the West hesitating to save the Kurds and giving Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the green light to attack them? And why is Britain allowing the Saudis to spread radical Wahhabism in the West? Many conservatives have no good answers to these questions either.
It's interesting that the Left has no criticism against Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that none of the speakers tried to challenge the Iranians. They also avoided mentioning the radical Muslims in Britain's mosques, and of course didn't raise any reservations against the failed multiculturalism vision, which makes it possible - according to Cameron - to challenge liberal democracy under the disguise of pluralism. The British Left still sees the kingdom's Muslims as a minority which requires protection.
But last week, in the heart of London, one could feel the fear of jihadist terror. People understand that the European spirit is in danger and are asking when the next attack will take place. This major threat may even lead to a change in the Left, but a few months of relative calm will likely bring back the complacency, and the anti-Israel slogans will take center stage again.
