Now Corbyn backs Muslim leader who said that Israel has no right to exist
JEREMY Corbyn and other Labour MPs helped launch a Muslim group headed by an activist who has said that Israel ‘has no right to exist’.
Ali Milani, who has also branded Jewish people stingy, hosted the Party leader, shadow chancellor John McDonnell and MP Dawn Butler in Parliament on Monday night.
The Labour activist is in charge of the Labour Muslim Network and has accused Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing and colonialism’ and war-mongering.
The revelations will do little to dispel accusations of anti-Semitism against Labour, which overshadowed this year’s party conference.
Last night Jewish MPs criticised Mr Corbyn for aligning himself with people who question the right of Israel to exist and said Labour’s leadership is racist towards Jews.
Earlier this year Mr Milani was forced to apologise for making antiSemitic comments about Jews and questioning Israel’s right to exist.
The former NUS vice-president and executive member of the new Labour Muslim Network has previously tweeted ‘ Israel has no right to exist’.
He posted a tweet in 2012 suggesting Jewish people are stingy: ‘Nah u won’t mate it will cost you a pound #jew.’ He has previously said: ‘Israel is a land built on ethnic cleansing and colonialism. Oppression is something your people should know about.’
He also responded to a tweet by Piers Morgan by calling him ‘a Zionist’. Mr Morgan’s tweet had not been about Israel or Jews.
Mr Corbyn’s decision to attend the launch event will be seen as giving official backing to the group, although the Labour leader is not involved in the running of the network.
When Mr Milani stood for election as an NUS vice-president in April, Josh Nagli of the Union of Jewish Students said: ‘It is very worrying that someone seeking to be an NUS vice-president has previously expressed views that
Launch: Ali Milani (circled) with Jeremy Corbyn on Monday many Jewish students will find newspaper: ‘I have apologised deeply anti-Semitic.’ unreservedly for these comments
The UJS said: ‘The use of before and I do so again.’ tropes that denote Jews as cheap At Monday’s Parliament event, or stingy is extremely offensive Mr Milani reportedly told guests: and, as made clear by various ‘There is no doubt that the reports into anti-Semitism in the future of Muslims is enshrined last year, it is completely unacceptable in political engagement and that to use the word can only be achieved through “Zionist” as a term of abuse.’ the Labour Party.’ The event
Mr Milani subsequently apologised, was described as a showcase of telling the Tab student the network and included a panel looking at Labour’s future engagement with British Muslims. Other Labour MPs who attended the launch included Andy Slaughter, Rupa Huq, Wes Streeting and Afzal Khan.
Last night Jewish Tory MP Andrew Percy said: ‘It is incredible that at a time when antiSemitic racist incidents are on the rise, Jeremy Corbyn would yet again align himself with those who hold such extremist views and deny the right of Israel to exist, the denial of which contravenes the definition of antiSemitism adopted here in the UK. Time and time again, the Labour leadership tolerates racism aimed at Jews.’
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said: ‘Jeremy was pleased to attend the parliamentary launch of Labour Muslim Network, and looks forward to working with them and the Jewish Labour Movement on tackling Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.’
Labour peer and human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy was caught up in an anti-Semitism row yesterday after appearing to compare those who perished in the Holocaust with murderers and rapists.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that blanket bans on allowing prisoners to vote in elections are wrong. She said: ‘ To say that all prisoners shouldn’t have the vote is problematic because we know that all Jews suffered the consequences of being all Jews.’