The Labour Party passed a motion strongly criticizing Israel, as a senior lawmaker warned the party must root out anti-Semitism
Britain’s opposition Labour Party will “will recognise a Palestinian state as soon as we take office,” says leader Jeremy Corbyn while speaking Wednesday at the annual party conference.
“The continuing occupation, the expansion of illegal settlements and the imprisonment of Palestinian children are an outrage,” Corbyn said, while explaining Labour backs a two-state solution to the conflict.
Corbyn also said the party will vote against a Brexit deal based on Prime Minister Theresa May’s so-called Chequers proposals as it stands and opposes leaving the bloc without a deal.
“As it stands, Labour will vote against the Chequers plan or whatever is left of it and oppose leaving the EU with no deal,” a preview of Corbyn speech said.
He will say to May: “If you deliver a deal that includes a customs union and no hard border in Ireland, if you protect jobs, people’s rights at work and environmental standards, then we will support that sensible deal”.
The Labour Party passed a motion strongly criticizing Israel, as a senior lawmaker warned the party must root out anti-Semitism.
Delegates at the party’s conference voted Tuesday to criticize Israel’s use of force against Gaza protests, urge more U.K. funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinians and back a freeze on British arms sales to Israel.
The vote came after a heated debate that saw Palestinian flags waved in the convention hall.
Labour has been riven by allegations that the party has become hostile to Jews under leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime supporter of Palestinians.
Foreign-affairs spokeswoman Emily Thornberry said Labour must kick out “sickening individuals … who use our legitimate support for Palestine as a cloak and a cover for their despicable hatred of Jewish people.”