Lansman on a recee?

MOMENTUM FOUNDER Jon Lansman flew to Israel this week after accepting an invitation to speak at an event organised by left-wing activists from the Stand Together movement.

An advert for an event in Tel Aviv, due to take place last night, announced Mr Lansman’s involvement in a discussion billed as Corbyn, Labour, Israel, Palestine and set up by a group representing both Jewish and Arab activists “grounded in Socialist principles, and organising and mobilising for peace, equality and social justice”.

But less well-publicised were Mr Lansman’s meetings with representatives of Israel’s left-wing Meretz political party — which I am told were the main reason for his trip.

Relations between Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour and its sister party in Israel reached an all-time low in April when Israeli Labour leader Avi Gabbay said he would cut ties with Mr Corbyn and his office over the antisemitism crisis.

But over the past year, Meretz — which is desperate to shake off its image as a perpetual leftist opposition party in Israel — has openly sought to develop links with figures associated with Mr Corbyn.

Securing a visit from Mr Lansman — who once told the JC of his time on a kibbutz — will be seen as a major coup for Meretz.

Who knows — it may even be the prelude to an eventual visit by Mr Corbyn himself.