Tony Greenstein Interview with Redline – New Zealand Marxist
Blog on Zionism and latest developments in Palestine
Both of
these interview, one with a relatively unknown Marxist blog in New Zealand and
the other, an interview
with Asa Winstanley and Nora Barrows-Friedman of the Palestinian web site Electronic Intifada.
Both these
interviews concern the attacks on freedom of speech on Palestine. Abby Martin,
a well known photo journalist was interviewed first. Abby was invited to speak,
on an unrelated subject, to Georgia Southern University. Before being allowed
to do so she was told she had to sign a contract to get paid and part of this contract
was a provision in she had to undertake not to support or advocate for BDS. Abby refused and is now suing the state of Georgia
under Amendment 1 of the American constitution.
Asa’s
interview with me was wide ranging, concerning the attacks on free speech in
the Labour Party and related subjects. The witchhunt, and the concentration on Jewish
targets in the Labour Party, ironically given its supposed to be about ‘anti-Semitism’.
On episode 15 of The Electronic Intifada Podcast, filmmaker and
journalist Abby Martin discusses her recent free speech lawsuit against the
state of Georgia and its anti-BDS law.
Later in the episode, activist and writer Tony Greenstein explains the
state of anti-Zionist politics following the struggle over false allegations of
anti-Semitism in the UK Labour Party.
Abby was invited to be the keynote speaker at a conference at Georgia
Southern University. But officials demanded she sign a contract which stated: “You
certify that you are not currently engaged in, and agree for the duration of
this agreement not to engage in, a boycott of Israel.”
Abby refused to
sign the Israel loyalty oath and her keynote was canceled, as was the
entire conference.
Georgia is one of 28
US states to pass a draconian anti-boycott measure.
Most recently, South Dakota’s governor signed
an anti-BDS measure into law by executive order in mid-January.
These laws aren’t “even necessarily meant to be implemented,” Abby tells
The Electronic Intifada Podcast. “It’s meant to censor and control political speech
and scare people into not participating in the BDS movement, to not participate
in divestment campaigns, and to not participate in, let’s just say, street
actions.”
Abby is joined by her lawyer Gadeir Abbas, who is part of a team of
civil rights attorneys behind the lawsuit.
Later on in the episode, veteran left-wing Palestine solidarity activist
and Jewish anti-Zionist Tony Greenstein joins us to discuss the state of the UK
Labour Party.
Tony is the author of a fascinating and excoriating blog.
He tells us, “Yes, Jews are undoubtedly disproportionately represented
amongst those who have been victimized” in the Labour Party witch hunt over
anti-Semitism.
Articles we discussed
- Press conference on
Abby Martin’s lawsuit
- “Trump
appeases Israel lobby with executive order” (Nora Barrows-Friedman)
- “Why
I just quit the Labour party” (Asa Winstanley)
Production assistance by Sharif Zakout
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