At least six bus stops in London were defaced with posters declaring “Israel is a racist endeavor” early Thursday, including one opposite Parliament.

They were hung by pro-BDS groups in protest of the UK Labour Party’s adoption of an internationally recognized definition of anti-Semitism that characterizes that same statement as anti-Semitic.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson told Campaign Against Antisemitism: “These adverts are absolutely not authorised by TfL or our advertising partner JCDecaux. It is fly posting and therefore an act of vandalism which we take extremely seriously. We have instructed our contractors to remove any of these posters found on our network immediately.”

The group London Palestine Action has been tweeting photos of the posters during the day with messages including: “Created by ethnic cleansing; maintained by ethnic exclusion. Israel is a #racistendeavour”.

Rights denied based entirely on ethnicity. Israel is a #racistendeavour pic.twitter.com/iYqcsu6PyI

— LDNPalestineAction (@LondonPalestine) September 5, 2018

70 years of UK govt-approved dispossession, destruction and displacement. Israel is a #racistendeavour pic.twitter.com/M9BrlHy9wT

— LDNPalestineAction (@LondonPalestine) September 5, 2018

We won’t stop speaking the truth: that Israel is, and has always been, a #racistendeavour pic.twitter.com/uLadKvelQR

— LDNPalestineAction (@LondonPalestine) September 5, 2018

I had to do a double take when I saw *this* on Westminster Bridge pic.twitter.com/IN41T7XYrF

— Aine Lagan (@ainemichellel) September 5, 2018

The phrase in the posters is a quote from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism, which lists calling Israel a “racist endeavor” as one example of anti-Semitism, as is any form of “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination”.

Two days ago, Labour’s national executive committee formally approved the full IHRA definition of anti-Semitism in a bid to quell a long-running storm over the party’s failure to stamp out anti-Semitism in its ranks and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn’s own alleged anti-Semitic statements.

Although the Labour NEC adopted the IHRA provisions, they added a vague and controversial caveat declaring that the commitment to the IHRA definition “will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.” Labour MPs, including Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Honorary Patron, Margaret Hodge, responded to news of the amendment with disappointment, stating that this “unnecessary qualification” is an attempt to undermine the definition’s validity.

In approving the definition, the party rebuffed Corbyn’s attempt to get his party to declare that it should not be considered anti-Semitic to describe Israel and/or the circumstances of Israel’s establishment as racist.

The IHRA definition of anti-Semitism does not preclude criticism of Israeli policies. However, it does state that it is anti-Semitic to claim that Israel’s very existence is racist.

#Corbyn fabatics are fanning out across London putting “Israel is a racist endeavour” posters on bus shelters. Jewish hate crimes are rising. Jews are preparing to leave.

This is #racism. It’s terrifying for the UK Jewish community. It’s vile. I’m lost for words. pic.twitter.com/kdRiIrrTDP

— Brett (@599bt) September 5, 2018

The posters are a yet another glaring example of how antisemites have been emboldened by Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to address antisemitism in the Labour Party, and by his ongoing and vocal support for extremists and terrorists who have called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Source: Antisemitism UK