‘Stand down!’ Jeremy Corbyn told to quit politics forever over failure to condemn Hamas
Jeremy Corbyn told to pull out of mayoral race over failure to condemn Hamas
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Politicians across the political divide have today come out and criticised former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, for what they see as his failure to condemn Hamas.
It is 11 days since proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas first launched a barrage of rockets into Israeli territory, injuring and killing large numbers of its citizens.
Potential London Mayoral adversary Howard Cox of the Reform Party slammed Corbyn for his failure to condemn Hamas saying: “He is unfit to be London Mayor on several counts, but in not condemning Hamas unreservedly he shows he should stand down immediately.”
WATCH NOW: Jeremy Corbyn refuses to condemn Hamas in speech
Mr Corbyn has chosen to speak at pro-Palestinian events in London in front of flags saying, ‘end the occupation’, accusing the Israeli army of war crimes but stopped short of criticising the organization itself.
The failure to not only condemn what is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Hamas, but to also infer that Israel has only itself to blame for the attacks on its territory has also angered many MPs across the house.
Conservative MP for Buckingham and member of the Conservative Friends of Israel Greg Smith said: “The actions of Hamas have been pure evil. Hamas are brutal, murdering terrorists.
“For anyone - not least a sitting Member of Parliament - to be unable to condemn Hamas as Jeremy Corbyn seems unable to do, is beyond comprehension.”
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Israel attacks: Over 1,000 people have died amid Hamas conflictGETTYWhen asked by GB News if Corbyn’s failure to condemn the Hamas organization made him unfit to run for Mayor, Smith said: “I wouldn’t vote for him, but that is a matter for Londoners.”
Criticism for the attacks by Hamas on Israel, and Corbyn’s failure to condemn the proscribed terrorist organisation have come from all sides of the House of Commons.
Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, and Chairman of Labour Friends of Israel Steve McCabe said: “Sometimes you must take sides. Israel is a democratic state and ally of the UK. Hamas is a proscribed terrorist group armed and financed by Iran whose aims are to destroy the Abraham Accords and scupper any moves towards normalisation and peace and obliterate the state of Israel.
“Not sure it’s that difficult to choose between them.”
When asked by GB News if Corbyn’s failure to condemn the Hamas organization made him unfit to run for Mayor Smith said: 'I wouldn’t vote for him, but that is a matter for Londoners'
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McCabe added: “I tend not to share Mr Corbyn’s views and judgements in many areas.”
More demonstrations are planned on the streets of London over the coming weeks, including one protest being billed as the ‘National March for Palestine, stop the war on Gaza!’ which is set to take place this Saturday at Marble Arch.
A representative for Mr Corbyn pointed to a tweet by Mr Corbyn in which he says: “The horrific attacks on civilians in Israel were deplorable” and “we should condemn the use of violence against all civilians, Israeli and Palestinian.”
Also, in an article penned for Tribune, Mr Corbyn said: “The heinous attacks in Israel by Hamas were utterly deplorable.”
Whilst Mr Corbyn clearly condemns the attacks by the organisation, it’s notable that he does not condemn the organisation more broadly or refer to it as a terrorist organisation, despite it being proscribed as such by the UK Government and many in the international community.