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<\/p>\nFury has erupted over Keir Starmer\u2019s decision not to punish a senior Labour MP over a \u201cdeeply offensive\u201d pro-Palestinian chant.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Corbyn ally Andy McDonald used the phrase \u201cfrom the river to the sea\u201d during a speech in central London on Saturday.<\/p>\n
But the Labour leader is not expected to discipline Mr McDonald, prompting fury from critics.<\/p>\n
And it comes as Rishi Sunak decisively sacked a minister who called for a “permanent” pause in the fighting.<\/p>\n
Tory Mayor of Tees Valley, Ben Houchen said: \u201cKeir Starmer confirms Labour are as anti-Semitic and disgusting as they were under Corbyn.<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently comparing Hamas to Nelson Mandela, suggesting terrorists should form the Govt and saying Israelis are carrying out ethnic cleansing is totally fine in Keir Starmer\u2019s Labour Party.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Downing Street has expressed concerns over the chant “from the river to the sea,” describing it as “deeply offensive” to many, amid growing controversy surrounding the rhetoric used in recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said it is a matter for the police to decide on the appropriate response when confronted with the use of such chants during public demonstrations.<\/p>\n
However, he stressed: “I can understand how the use of that language and others will be of significant concern to many.”<\/p>\n
Mr McDonald also read the words of Gaza resident Abdalla Hasaneen, claiming Israel\u2019s bombardment \u201cis not about Hamas at all\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s about ethnically cleansing Palestinian people. It\u2019s about 2.3 million Palestinian people, that\u2019s why the first thing Israel did was to cut off the water, and cut off the electricity, and cut off the food.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet there be no mistake about it: Israel is committing war crimes against Palestinians on an unprecedented scale\u201d.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> Conservative MP Jacob Young added: \u201cHow much more dangerous must Andy McDonald\u2019s rhetoric get before Keir Starmer gets?<\/p>\n \u201cIn this speech he uses the incendiary phrase \u2018from the river to the sea\u2019 and suggests Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing in Palestine.<\/p>\n \u201cDo Starmer\u2019s promises to British Jews mean anything?\u201d<\/p>\n Asked in a briefing with reporters about the chant of \u201cfrom the river to the sea\u201d, the PM’s spokesman said: “We understand clearly this is a deeply offensive chant to many.<\/p>\n “And again, I think people need to be responsible with their use of language.<\/p>\n “Obviously it’s up to the police to make an operational decision about the use of that language if they see fit to do so, but I can understand how the use of that language and others will be of significant concern to many.”<\/p>\n He added: “Right now, communities across Britain, Jewish communities across Britain, need to be reassured that police and indeed the wider Government, national and local are protecting them because these will be deeply concerning times after a traumatic terror event.”<\/p>\n Education minister Robert Halfon, who is Jewish, told Times Radio that hearing the phrase being chanted was “horrific” and “scary”, adding: “It’s frightening for Jewish people in England at the moment, you know.<\/p>\n “I really welcome that the Prime Minister has done everything possible to support those of the Jewish faith, but it is frightening when you hear those chants … when you hear cries of jihad every week in central London.<\/p>\n “It is frightening.<\/p>\n “When you hear that Jewish schools have to close their doors, when you hear of students, I am the universities minister as well, I get messages from Jewish chaplaincy service in higher education that Jewish students are having Palestinian flags draped over their cars or doors knocked on of the Jewish chaplain with people knocking on doors saying ‘we know where you live’.<\/p>\n “Antisemitism has gone up enormously even in my area of higher education.<\/p>\n “The Community Security Trust suggested it has gone up by over 400% since October 7.”<\/p>\n Rishi Sunak on Monday afternoon sacked a minister who called for a \u201cpermanent\u201d break in fighting between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n The UK has warned a ceasefire would only help Hamas terrorists fortifying their positions in Gaza.<\/p>\n In a two-page letter to Mr Sunak, Mr Bristow said: \u201cThousands have been killed and more than one million now displaced. It is difficult to understand how this makes Israel more secure or indeed makes anything better.\u201d<\/p>\n He welcomed calls from Mr Sunak last week for \u201cspecific pauses\u201d in the fighting, but added: \u201cA permanent ceasefire would save lives and allow for a continued column of humanitarian aid [to] reach the people who need it the most.<\/p>\n \u201cAccess to water, electricity and fuel is vital for the Palestinian people. My constituents and I would be grateful for your comments on the actions our Government is taking to ensure that people in Gaza do not face collective punishment for the crimes of Hamas.\u201d<\/p>\n In further comments on his Facebook page, Mr Bristow said: \u201cOrdinary Palestinians are not Hamas. I struggle to see how Israel is any safer following thousands of deaths of innocent Palestinians.<\/p>\n \u201cThey should not suffer collective punishment for the crimes of Hamas. We need a ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n But a No 10 spokeswoman said: “”Paul Bristow has been asked to leave his post in Government following comments that were not consistent with the principles of collective responsibility.”<\/p>\n
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