Jeremy Corbyn risks fresh fury by suggesting Israel ‘occupation’ is the root cause of Hamas atrocities – as left-wing activists project Palestine flag on building during Labour conference
Jeremy Corbyn has risked fresh fury by suggesting Israel’s ‘occupation’ is the root cause of the Hamas attacks.
The former Labour leader refused to single out the terrorist group for condemnation, saying he was against ‘all violence’.
In a bad-tempered exchange with journalists on the fringes of the party’s conference in Liverpool, Mr Corbyn said the way to end the ‘terrible situation’ was to ‘end the occupation of Palestine by Israel’.
The comments came as left-wing activists projected the Palestinian flag on the venue for the World Transformed festival – which takes place alongside the Labour gathering, but is not formally linked.
Mr Corbyn sparked anger yesterday when he responded to slaughter of civilians and hostage-taking in Israel without condemning Hamas.
The MP is sitting as an independent after being removed from Labour’s parliamentary party over his response to antisemitism under his leadership, but remains a party member.
Jeremy Corbyn has risked fresh fury by suggesting Israel’s ‘occupation’ is the root cause of the Hamas attacks
The comments came as left-wing activists projected the Palestinian flag on the venue for the World Transformed festival – which takes place alongside the Labour gathering, but is not formally linked
He is not thought to have a pass for the main conference.
Mr Corbyn said he wants ‘peace, a ceasefire and a process that ends the Israeli occupation of Palestine’.
‘I don’t support any attacks, therefore I criticise them all,’ he said, after being repeatedly asked whether he would condemn Hamas.
He told ITV News that the ‘occupation of Palestine’ was ‘fundamentally the background to the whole issue’.
At an event at The World Transformed festival, which coincides with the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he was ‘working with people around the world to bring about peace’.
He added: ‘You don’t just condemn – as I do – any acts of violence, anywhere around the world. You look at the causes as well.’
On the current ‘terrible situation in Israel and Palestine’, he said: ‘The way to end that, I think, is to end the occupation of Palestine by Israel.’
Keir Starmer was quick to criticise the thousands of rockets launched towards Israel in a surprise attack by Hamas on land, sea and air as a ‘terrorist attack’.
‘Labour stands firmly in support of Israel’s right to defend itself, rescue hostages and protect its citizens,’ he said in a statement.
‘The indiscriminate attacks from Hamas are unjustifiable and have set back the cause of peace.’
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said he would not ‘mince my words’ in describing Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
He told a conference fringe event that Labour remains committed to a two-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East.
‘Hamas are seeking to undermine that. They are seeking to break that, they are approaching this with rockets and with terrorism.’
Hamas is an Islamist military group which has since 2007 ruled over the Gaza Strip, which has been blockaded by Israel.
Backed by Iran, Hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UK, US and the EU.
Mr Corbyn sparked anger yesterday when he responded to slaughter of civilians and hostage-taking in Israel without condemning Hamas
Source: Read Full Article
