A Liberal Democrat MP has sparked anger after comparing the 59 hostages still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza with “the two million hostages in Gaza being held hostage by the murderous IDF.”
Speaking during a Commons debate on Gaza, Andrew George, the MP for St Ives, took issue with the government’s stance on Israel’s war on the terror organisation, as he criticised Middle East minister Hamish Falconer.
George said:”Of course, we all want the hostages to be freed, just as we want the two million hostages in Gaza being held hostage by the murderous IDF, which is treating them with disdain and starving them, to be freed.
“If the Minister is not prepared to make the statement that many of us wish for him to make, will he at least admit that the actions of the far-right Israeli Government can no longer be described as self-defence?”
The Israeli hostages Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Sasha Troufanov are handed over in Khan Younis, Gaza.
One Jewish Labour source told Jewish News the Lib Dem MP’s remarks were “shamefully simplistic”.
Earlier in Wednesday’s debate Minister Falconer had told MPs “of course Israel has the right to legitimate self-defence consistent with international humanitarian law.”
He added:” Concerns about the risk of a breach of international humanitarian law underpin our concerns. ”
Falconer added:” Hamas are a threat not just to Israel but to their own people, and I have been absolutely clear on that question on numerous occasions at this Dispatch Box. ”
