The Jewish Chronicle

Settlers fail to settle Brazier

- BY MARCUS DYSCH

A CONSERVATI­VE MP who claimed Israelwas“whippingup­feeling”against British troops has said he stands by his comments.

Julian Brazier met eight activists, including supporters of Israel and leaders of the British Israel Coalition, in a specially arranged meeting at Parliament.

Among those at the meeting were leaders of the Shomron Liaison Office, which represents Jewish communitie­s in the West Bank, and Palestinia­n writer and academic Mudar Zahran, who fled to Britain from Jordan.

In Mr Brazier’s comments, in a letter to Communitie­s Secretary Eric Pickles, he had suggested Israeli activity in the West Bankwas“playingama­jorroleini­nciting the anger felt in Pakistan and Afghanista­n”andwaslead­ingtoattac­ksonbritis­h troops.

During Tuesday’s meeting with the activists, Mr Brazier repeatedly attacked Israel’s security wall in the West Bank.

“The wall is built to take a substantia­l amount of Palestinia­n land away,” he said. “I do believe that the effect of the wall is an apartheid effect.”

Mr Brazier said he had been right to claim Israeli actions were stoking anger in Afghanista­n and Pakistan. He said an unnamed foreign diplomat had informed him of the damage being done when young Muslims saw reports of the situation in the West Bank and were radicalise­d by what they saw.

The Canterbury and Whitstable MP, who received dozens of letters attacking his comments, also claimed Moshe Dayan was one of his heroes.

 ??  ?? Julian Brazier MP,
meets settlers and pro-israel activists in Parliament
Julian Brazier MP, meets settlers and pro-israel activists in Parliament

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom