Representatives of the Jewish Central Council came to the Left Party on Tuesday due to the council's opinion that the party has problems with anti-Semitism within its own ranks.
It was a good and constructive meeting where we cleared up some misunderstandings and talked to each other. It was a good dialogue, says Left Party leader Nooshi Dadgostar.
The Jewish Central Council's boycott of the Left Party from its memorial ceremonies remains in place for the time being.
We have not changed our decision here and now. We will continue the discussion. It is a discussion we need to have in our board, says Chairman Aron Verständig after the meeting.
Takes to heart
Verständig adds that he perceives the party leadership as taking the issue seriously and during the meeting clearly marked against anti-Semitism and in favor of a two-state solution.
According to Dadgostar, the council had comments on the Left Party's slow action against party members who have crossed the line in their criticism of Israel and support for terrorist-stamped organizations.
There, we see that such member cases may need to move faster, and we take to heart that criticism, says Dadgostar.
According to her, a very large part of the meeting was about the boundary between anti-Semitism and entirely legitimate criticism of Israel's government and its actions in the Gaza War.
TT: Did you agree on where the boundary should be drawn?
That's something they have to answer how they see it, says Dadgostar.
We have been critical of Israel's government and how it has acted. We see no reason to change that criticism based on this conversation.
The Left Party apologizes
The Jewish Central Council's decision to boycott the Left Party came earlier in October after several cases where the party's local politicians expressed anti-Semitic views or supported terrorist organizations.
Three Left Party politicians have left or been expelled from the party in a short time.
The Central Council's message prompted Nooshi Dadgostar to take the initiative for Tuesday's meeting.
Next week, the Swedish Committee Against Anti-Semitism will hold a memorial ceremony for Kristallnacht, and on January 27, the Holocaust Remembrance Day awaits.
As it looks now, the Left Party is not invited?
As it looks right now, yes, says Aron Verständig.
Dadgostar regrets that the Jewish Central Council has boycotted the party, and when asked if she believes that today's meeting is enough to lift the boycott, she answers:
We are very happy that the Jewish Central Council took the time to come and talk to us. What decisions they make are up to them, of course
