Starmer criticised for ‘takinr sides’
LABOUR LEADER Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for a “one sided” comment on the situation in Israel. In a tweet on Monday — his only statement to date on the conflict — Sir Keir made no reference to the rocket fire from Gaza and singled out Israel. “The violence against worshippers during Ramadan at the al-Aqsa mosque was shocking. Israel must respect international law, and must take steps, immediately, to work with Palestinian leaders to de-escalate tensions,” he wrote.
Former Labour MP Lord Austin said that Sir Keir should have been more balanced. “Civilian populations must not be targeted. Terrorists must not fire rockets at Israeli cities. One-sided statements like this from Keir Starmer won’t help reduce tensions,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile many on social media shared a video of Israelis dancing and cheering at the Western Wall while there was a fire in the background in the al-Aqsa compound, saying the crowds were celebrating because the mosque had been bombed.
Labour MP Wes Streeting wrote: “How anyone could fail to condemn this, or criticise those who do, is really beyond me.”
But the singing and dancing was part of Jerusalem Day celebrations which happen every year and always end at the Western Wall.
The fire was a tree burning, which is believed to have started because firecrackers were thrown by Arabs from within the mosque compound. Labour MP Clive Lewis was also criticised for retweeting a claim that Israel was targeting Gaza children. The tweet referred to “weapons being ‘battletested’ on children in Gaza tonight”. Earlier, an open letter by left wing group Yachad, which was signed by 700 people, condemned elected Israeli officials who, it claimed, “have gone out of their way to stoke and inflame racial tension and hatred,” in the last few weeks. The letter said: “We will not stand by whilst you claim to represent us yet have nothing to say about unchecked racism and incitement out of the mouths of Israeli officials. The Board of Deputies cannot credibly claim to be anti-racist as long as you refuse to condemn this racism on the streets of Jerusalem.”
Jewish students reacted angrily to a statement issued “in solidarity with Palestine” from student leaders at St Anne’s College Oxford, calling it “inexcusable”. The president of St Anne’s JCR (Junior Common Room), Sanaa Mughal, and the black and ethnic minority representative of the college’s MCR (Middle Common Room), Ibrahim Mohammed, offered “solidarity to St Anne’s Muslim and Palestinian members”, asking for support from other Oxford colleges. Their statement made no mention of rocket attacks on Israel but referred to “the destruction of the Al-Aqsa mosque”. The mosque has not been destroyed.
The Union of Jewish Students said it has received “countless messages about antisemitic abuse that is directed / targeted towards Jewish students. It is inexcusable that St Anne’s JCR President and MCR BAME rep have ignored their Jewish students, and excluded them from accessing support.”
The UJS has received countless messages about abuse’