JEREMY Corbyn last night vowed to keep up links with anti-Jewish terror
groups despite a plea from Israel and British Jews to condemn them.
In an extraordinary move, the Labour leader refused to condemn Islamic
militant organisations Hamas and Hezbollah with his party engulfed in a
massive anti-Semitism storm.
Instead he insisted he would keep talking to the groups – which he once
described as “friends” – in a one-man bid to bring peace to the Middle East.
In a statement issued late yesterday evening, Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said:
“Jeremy Corbyn has been a longstanding supporter of Palestinian rights and
the pursuit of peace and justice in the Middle East through dialogue and
negotiation.
“He has met many people with whom he profoundly disagrees in order to promote
peace and reconciliation processes, including in South Africa, Latin
America, Ireland and the Middle East.
“He believes it is essential to speak to people with whom there is
disagreement, particularly when they have large-scale support or democratic
mandates.
“Simply talking to people who agree with you won’t help achieve justice or
peace.”
The statement was a direct rejection of an unprecedented appeal made by
Israel’s ambassador to Britain Mark Regev as he accused parts of the left of
being “in denial” about anti-Semitism.
With the Jewish community feeling increasingly under attack from Mr Corbyn’s
handling of the crisis in his party, Mr Regev said: “You have had too many
people on the progressive side of politics who have embraced Hamas and
Hezbollah. Both of them are anti-Semitic organisations.
“There has to be an unequivocal message from leadership saying that there is
no solidarity with anti-Semites.”
READ MORE:
Fringe
pals of Jeremy Corbyn ‘are the reason anti-Semitism has found a home in the
Labour Party’
‘I
just came out of heart surgery and I’m back on it again’: Gazza’s druggie
nephew dies aged 22
Boy,
14, shot dead in Suffolk after an ‘accident with an air rifle’
The Board of Deputies of British Jews also called for a stronger line against
anti-Semitism “from the leader to the grassroots, including clarity about
people and groups with whom it is not appropriate to share panels”.
Richard Ferrer, editor of the Jewish News, said: “Corbyn has been very, very
slow to act and Corbyn is the only one who can solve these problems.
“Stop talking about Hamas, these psychopathic Jew-killers, as friends.”
And former Labour donor Michael Foster revealed there was not “a Jew in
Britain” who had given the party money since Mr Corbyn became leader because
he had “ignored” the issue for months.
Despite the pleas for a tougher line from the top against Hamas and Hezbollah
– both regarded as terrorist groups by the US – Mr Corbyn could only bring
himself to tell a May Day rally: “We stand absolutely against anti-Semitism
in any form. We stand absolutely against racism in any form.”
Several of Mr Corbyn’s allies also launched a fightback against claims the
party has a problem with anti-Semitism – despite the fact he set up an
independent inquiry into anti-Jewish hatred in its ranks after Ken
Livingstone and MP Naz Shah were suspended for disgusting outbursts last
week.
Shadow International Development Secretary Diane Abbott, a former lover of Mr
Corbyn’s, said it was a “smear to say the Labour party has a problem with
anti-Semitism”.
Unite union leader Len McCluskey suggested the entire row was part of a coup
attempt.
He said: “This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to manipulate
anti-Semitism for political aims because this is all about constantly
challenging Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.”
Ms Abbott admitted Mr Corbyn could face a leadership challenge unless Labour
makes huge gains in Thursday’s local council elections, but insisted: “If
Jeremy is on the ballot then he wins.”