The Russian Parliament's decision not to condemn anti-semitic remarks by the communist ex-general MP Albert Makashov has been widely criticised.

On Wednesday the Duma voted by 121-107 not to censure General Makashov after he was seen on national television calling for all Jews to be sent to the graveyard.

The parliament's decision has angered Russian Jews and liberals, and shocked international opinion.

Russian financier Boris Berezovsky, himself Jewish, declared that the Russian Communist Party had made itself an outlaw in the civilised world.

The UK's Guardian newspaper commented that the Russian political left has "descended into the dark well of anti-semitism".

Lenin would 'turn in his grave'

Not all communists and nationalists were on General Makashov's side.

The Guardian quoted one anti-Makashov communist as saying the Duma's decision would make Lenin - the founder of Russian communism - turn in his grave.

One of the sponsors of the resolution to condemn the General Makashov, film-producer Stanislav Govoryukhin, is known for his strong defence of national values. But over half of the Duma's communist deputies voted against and most of the rest abstained.

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The ultra-nationalists of Vladimir Zhirinovsky's LDPR party also took the general's side.

And the suspicion that the Communist Party as a whole is steeped in anti-semitism was further strengthened by party leader Gennady Zyuganov's clumsy handling of the affair.

While issuing a mild rebuke to General Makashov for the "impermissible form" of his remarks, Mr Zyuganov added that he nonetheless agreed that there were too many "non-Russian faces" on national television.

That, in Russia, amounts to a clear reference to Jews and other ethnic minorities. Mr Zyuganov seemed unaware that in most countries his own remarks would have been taken as clear evidence of anti-semitism and xenophobia.

'Media glee'

Russian media bosses hit back at the communists at a press conference in the Duma on Thursday. The heads of the three main TV channels, ORT, NTV and RTR suggested that recent statements by communist leaders calling for the monitoring of certain journalists betrayed their "hankering after Stalin-era repressions".

It has not been surprising, therefore, that the TV companies have reported with apparent glee the case of a man who drove his car on to Red Square on Wednesday and then blew it up in a protest against unpaid salaries.

Ivan Orlov is reported to be an active member of various left-wing communist groups and a contributor to an openly anti-semitic magazine, Russian Truth.