U.K. PM May says she will always support Israel’s right to defend itself
Speaking at the United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner, Theresa May reaffirmed commitment to Israel and UK Jews' security.
By REUTERS
EDINBURGH - Prime Minister Theresa May pledged on Monday to protect
British Jewish identity and Israel's right to defend itself, in an
attack on opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn in the run-up to his Labour
Party conference next weekend.
May told a United Jewish Israel Appeal dinner she was "sickened" by the
idea that some Jews questioned whether Britain was a safe place to raise
their children.
Labour has been angrily divided this year over pockets of antisemitism
which Corbyn himself has acknowledged. Critics suggest he should step
down for failing to tackle the issue.A poll in Britain's Jewish
Chronicle earlier this month said that 40 percent of Jews would consider
emigrating if Corbyn won power in a national election.
In August Britain's former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks called Corbyn an
anti-Semite and said comments about Zionists made by him in 2013, before
he was Labour's leader, were the most offensive by a senior UK
politician in half a century.
Corbyn said five years ago that British Zionists "don't understand
English irony" despite "having lived in this country for a very long
time."
"If we are to stand up for the values that we share - then one of the
things we need to do is give young Jewish people the confidence to be
proud of their identity – as British, Jewish and Zionist too," May
said."There is no contradiction between these identities - and we must
never let anyone try to suggest that there should be."
Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights who has moved Labour
to the left, has pledged to eradicate antisemitism. This month Labour
adopted an internationally accepted definition of antisemitism in hopes
of ending the row.
Last month, Corbyn said in his 2013 comments he had been describing some
pro-Israel activists as Zionists, an explanation which failed to calm
the furor.
May said in her speech on Monday "nothing excuses antisemitism – not comedy, not satire, not even irony."
May said she was committed to strong economic ties between Britain and Israel.
"You can also count on my commitment to Israel’s security, she said. "I
am clear that we will always support Israel’s right to defend itself."
Current opinion polls show Labour roughly level with May's Conservatives.
https://www.geezgo.com/sps/39642
Join Geezgo for free. Use Geezgo's end-to-end encrypted Chat with your Closenets (friends, relatives, colleague etc) in personalized ways.>>
No comments