Gary Clueit responds to allegations of antisemitism

The statement has been issued after accusations made by an Island resident, and the Jewish Chronicle

Gary Clueit, a member of the Isle of Man’s Legislative Council, has issued a statement in response to accusations of antisemitism made by Michael Josem, the Jewish Chronicle, and others.

The allegations stem from his public stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Mr Josem, a member of the Manx Jewish community, told Manx Radio he found issue with several social media posts authored by Mr Clueit:

Mr Clueit has emphatically denied the claims, insisting that his criticisms were directed at political Zionism, not Judaism or Jews.

He stated that he has 'long distinguished between Jews, Zionists, and Israelis in his statements, highlighting that not all Jews support Zionism, and not all Israelis are Zionists'.

Zionism is an ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish a national home for the Jewish people, pursued through the colonisation of Palestine.

He maintains that his opposition to Zionism is based on his views on human rights and the treatment of Palestinians over the past 70 years.

In his statement, Mr Clueit made it clear that he has never held any negative views towards Jews or Judaism, citing his 'longstanding friendships with Jewish individuals and his support for civil rights'.

He further refutes accusations that he had denied or minimised the Holocaust, explaining that he questioned the underreporting of the death toll, which he believes diminished the full scale of Nazi atrocities.

Mr Clueit clarifies that his focus was on all victims of the Holocaust, including non-Jews, such as Roma, disabled individuals, and other minorities.

The controversy escalated following the now-MLC’s comments after the 7 October 2023 attacks, when he described both Israeli and Palestinian extremists as terrorists.

He also expressed concern about the growing violence in Gaza, describing it as genocide and war crimes.

This led to backlash, including attempts to have him removed from his position as a trustee at The Children’s Centre, where he and his wife had been involved as volunteers.

In his 23-page statement, Mr Clueit also addresses the political tactics he believes were employed against him, calling them defamatory and accusing his detractors of misrepresenting his views.  

He criticises the 'selective quoting' of his social media posts, arguing that they were taken out of context to portray him as an anti-Semite.

The statement ends with Mr Clueit reaffirming his 'commitment to supporting the Jewish community on the Isle of Man', declaring that he would 'never tolerate actual antisemitism'.

He expresses his frustration with the lack of tolerance for differing opinions, calling for greater respect for free speech.

He concludes by urging that he be 'permitted to focus on the job' following his election to the Legislative Council.

Mr Clueit confirmed the matter is now being handled by his 'legal counsel'; his statement in full is available HERE.