The violence of the Israeli state was once again laid bare for the world to see today when their army instigated yet another bloodbath, murdering at least 58 Palestinians and wounding thousands more.
Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry reacted on behalf of the Labour Party by noting: “We condemn unreservedly the Israeli government for their brutal, lethal and utterly unjustified actions on the Gaza border…” Although this statement should be read in full, it concluded by calling upon the “Israeli forces serving on the Gaza border to show some long-overdue responsibility to their fellow human beings, and stop this vicious and utterly avoidable slaughter of peaceful protesters demanding the right to return to their homes.”
But not everyone in the Labour Party condemned the bloodbath, and Labour Friends of Israel director, Jennifer Gerber, instead sought to blame the Palestinians’ themselves for the Israeli army’s shooting of unarmed Palestinian protesters! Outrageously, tweeting on behalf of Labour Friends of Israel in response to the attacks, she explained:
“Hamas must accept responsibility for these events. Their successful attempt to hijack peaceful protest as cover to attack Israeli border communities must be condemned by all who seek peace in the Middle East.”
This is abhorrent behaviour and should not be tolerated within the Labour Party. Certainly all eighty-odd Labour MPs who are active supporters of Labour Friends of Israel (which in Leicester includes Liz Kendall and Keith Vaz) must now condemn Gerber’s statement in the sharpest terms; but this is unlikely as they most likely agree with such sentiments, hence their support for the group in the first place.
Thoughts of a Leicester Socialist 