Editing Respect Party (section)

==Ideology==
The political scientists [[Matthew Goodwin]] and [[Robert Ford (academic)|Robert Ford]] characterised Respect as a "broad coalition of left-wing interests" which had arisen in opposition to the [[New Labour]] government and the UK's involvement in the invasion of Iraq.{{sfn|Ford|Goodwin|2014|p=238}} Other political scientists characterised the party as [[far-left]].{{sfnm|1a1=Benedek|1y=2007|1p=154|2a1=Clark|2y=2012|2p=112}} The socialist activist [[Tariq Ali]] characterised the party's programme as being [[social democratic]] in orientation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ali |first=Tariq |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/mar/31/george-galloway-respect-tariq-ali |title=George Galloway's Respect could help Britain to break the political impasse |work=The Guardian |date=31 March 2012 |access-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> Eran Benedek described the party as "an amalgamation of radical international socialism and Islamism",{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=153}} adding that its radical socialist position was informed by [[Marxism–Leninism]] and [[Trotskyism]].{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=155}} 

Benedek characterised it as a manifestation of what [[Amir Taheri]] called the "Marxist-Islamist coalition", which united around opposition to the United States, a desire to destroy the state of Israel, and a wish to overthrow international capitalism.{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=155}} Similarly, Emmanuel Karagiannis characterised the party as "the epitome" of the "convergence" between radical left and Islamist groups in Western Europe,{{sfn|Karagiannis|2012|p=209}} and [[Nick Cohen]] described it as an "alliance{{nbsp}}... between the [[Trotskyist]] far left and the Islamic far right".<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Nick|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/jan/15/realitytv.bigbrother|title=Galloway can no longer count on the indulgence of polite society|work=The Observer|date=15 January 2006}}</ref>

===Socialism and anti-capitalism===
The party's policies have been described as "traditionally leftist and anti-capitalist".{{sfn|Driver|2011|p=158}}
Respect encouraged the nationalisation of many sectors of the economy, including the railways, water, gas, electricity, and the [[North Sea oil]] industry.{{sfn|Clark|2012|p=112}} It urged a substantial increase in [[corporation tax]] in order to increase funding to public services.{{sfn|Clark|2012|p=112}} It sought to overturn what it described as "anti-trade union" legislation,{{sfn|Driver|2011|p=158}} and to introduce policies to deal with issues of poverty and discrimination.{{sfn|Clark|2012|p=112}} Respect promoted [[revolutionary socialism]] and [[international socialism]].{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=154}} The party was largely hostile to Western [[capitalism]] and [[neoliberalism]], and interpreted many world events through the prism of [[anti-imperialism]],{{sfn|Benedek|2007|pp=154, 155}} calling for an end to what it characterised as imperialist wars like that in Iraq.{{sfn|Driver|2011|p=158}} Respect was [[anti-globalization]], believing that it resulted in the exploitation of the working class.{{sfn|Clark|2012|p=112}} It also expressed a [[Euroscepticism|Eurosceptic]] approach to the [[European Union]], deeming the Union to be lacking in democracy and exploitative toward the working class.{{sfn|Clark|2012|p=112}}

===Anti-Zionism===
Respect was [[Anti-Zionism|anti-Zionist]] and, according to Benedek, rejected "the right to independent Jewish statehood in Israel".{{sfn|Benedek|2007|pp=153, 154}} It presented this position through the terminology of [[social justice]] and [[human rights]].{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=156}} One of its core principles was stated support for the [[Palestinian people]] and opposition to what Respect described as "the apartheid system that oppresses them".{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=155}} It was constitutionally committed to supporting the [[Palestine Solidarity Campaign]] and the boycotting of Israel.{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=155}} It calls for Israel to withdraw from any land conquered in 1967, and for the right of return to be granted to all Palestinians forced to move on the formation of the state of Israel in 1948.{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=156}} On its website and published fliers, it included maps of the [[Levant]] in which the entirety of Israel was labelled "Occupied Palestine".{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=157}} In 2017, the party's website asserts: "Respect supports the idea of a democratic bi-national solution of one state from the [[Jordan River]] to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] in which all people, Jews, Muslims and Christians live equally; one man, one woman, one vote" and says British foreign policy should recognise Britain's "partial responsibility for the problem by their participation in the creation of the state of Israel".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.respectparty.org/international/arab-world/|title=Arab World|publisher=Respect Party|access-date=3 April 2017|archive-date=5 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005050313/http://www.respectparty.org/international/arab-world/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to the party's national council member [[Yvonne Ridley]], speaking at London's [[Imperial College London|Imperial College]] in February 2006, Respect "is a Zionist-free party... if there was any Zionism in the Respect Party they would be hunted down and kicked out."{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=156}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Das |first=Shamik |url=https://leftfootforward.org/2012/11/yvonne-ridley-respect-rotherham-hamas/ |title=Yvonne Ridley: Says Zionists should be "hunted down"; 'loathes' Israel; supports Hamas…|work=Left Foot Forward |date=15 November 2012|access-date=3 April 2017}}</ref> 

The rejection of Israel's right to exist and the characterisation of it as a garrison of [[American imperialism]] in the Middle East had been espoused by the SWP even prior to the establishment of Respect.{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=156}}

In February 2013, [[George Galloway]] walked out of a debate organised by [[Christ Church, Oxford]] because his opponent was [[Eylon Levy]], an Israeli citizen.<ref>Rob Williams [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/i-dont-debate-with-israelis-george-galloway-accused-of-racism-after-walking-out-of-middle-east-debate-at-oxford-8505232.html "'I don't debate with Israelis': George Galloway accused of racism after walking out of Middle East debate at Oxford"], ''The Independent'', 21 February 2013</ref> He explained his actions thus: "The reason is simple: no recognition, no normalisation. Just boycott, divestment and sanctions, until the apartheid state is defeated. I never debate with Israelis nor speak to their media. If they want to speak about Palestine – the address is the PLO."<ref name="MurrayJones">Warren Murray and Sam Jones [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/feb/21/george-galloway-debate-israeli-oxford "George Galloway refuses to debate with Israeli student at Oxford"], ''The Guardian'', 21 February 2013; retrieved 21 February 2013.</ref> The [[Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland|Zionist Federation]] called it a "racist" walkout displaying "xenophobic" tendencies.<ref>[http://www.jta.org/2013/02/21/news-opinion/world/british-lawmaker-galloway-called-racist-for-quitting-debate-with-israeli "British lawmaker Galloway called 'racist' for quitting debate with Israeli"], jta.org, 21 February 2013.</ref>

Respect was supportive of anti-Zionist Islamist militant groups like [[Hezbollah]] and [[Hamas]].{{sfn|Karagiannis|2012|p=209}} In July 2006, Respect official [[Lindsey German]] stated that "whatever disagreements I have with Hamas and Hezbollah, I would rather be in their camp... they want democracy. Democracy in the Middle East ''is'' Hamas, ''is'' Hezbollah".{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=157}} Galloway met with Hamas leader [[Khaled Mashal]] In September 2006, and that November the party's national-secretary [[John Rees (activist)|John Rees]] attended the [[Beirut International Conference]] organised by Hezbollah.{{sfn|Benedek|2007|p=157}}