Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell slam Benjamin Netanyahu as Israeli PM wades into wreath row
4 min read
Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have blasted the Israeli Prime Minister after he condemned the Labour leader's attendance at a controversial memorial service.
Mr Corbyn has been under scrutiny in recent days following claims, denied by Labour, that he laid a wreath at a grave for Palestinians accused of the 1972 massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.
Labour has said the leader's 2014 visit to the Palestine National Cemetry in Tunisia was to honour the victims of a 1985 Israeli airstrike, and Mr Corbyn has said he does not "think" he was "involved" in a wreath-laying for those accused of the Munich attack.
But Mr Netanyahu said: "The laying of wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyone – left, right and everything in between."
Mr Corbyn shot back, however, saying the claims were "false" and lashing out at the Israeli Government's recent response to protests in Gaza.
"What deserves unequivocal condemnation is the killing of over 160 Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli forces since March, including dozens of children," he said.
The Labour leader also highlighted a controversial nation state law backed by Mr Netnanyahu which designates Israel as the "national home of the Jewish people".
Mr Corbyn said the law "discriminates against Israel's Palestinian minority", adding: "I stand with the tens of thousands of Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel demonstrating for equal rights at the weekend in Tel Aviv."
His top Shadow Cabinet ally John McDonnell meanwhile accused the Israeli prime minister of joining a "media feeding frenzy" and declared: "Enough is enough."
The high-profile intervention from Mr Netanyahu followed condemnation of the Labour leader's attendance at the 2014 event from the widows of some of those killed in the Munich attack.
Ankie Spitzer and Ilana Romano told the Jewish News: "We do not recall a visit of Mr Corbyn to the graves of our murdered fathers, sons and husbands.
"They only went to the Olympic Games in order to participate in this festival of love, peace and brotherhood but they all returned home in coffins."
Labour MP Luciana Berger, who has been a vocal critic of the party's handling of claims of anti-Semitism, meanwhile urged Mr Corbyn to apologise for his attendance at the event.
She added: "Being ‘present’ is the same as being involved. When I attend a memorial, my presence alone, whether I lay a wreath or not, demonstrates my association and support."
Mr Corbyn told Sky News he attended the service because he "wanted to see a fitting memorial to everyone who has died in every terrorist incident everywhere".
"Because we have to end it. You cannot pursue peace through a cycle of violence. The only way you pursue peace is a cycle of dialogue," he added.
A Labour spokesperson said: "As has been consistently stated, Jeremy Corbyn visited the Palestine National Cemetery in Tunisia to support Palestinian rights and honour the victims of the illegal 1985 airstrike, many of whom were civilians, on the PLO's headquarters - an attack condemned by the UN.
"Jeremy did not lay any wreath at the graves of those alleged to have been linked to the Black September organisation or the 1972 Munich killings. He of course condemns that terrible attack, as he does the 1985 bombing."
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