Cleverly condemns Abbas for spreading ‘disgusting antisemitic tropes’

James Cleverly has condemned Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas over the spreading of “disgusting antisemitic tropes and outrageous distortions of history” during a speech on his visit to Israel.

He made his remarks in response to a translation of a speech given by Abbas at a Fatah conference last month in which he claimed : “They say that Hitler killed the Jews because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true.

“It was clearly explained that the Europeans fought the Jews because of their social role, and not their religion.”

Speaking at the World Summit on Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya Cleverly said: “When I meet with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, I will make it clear that rather than spreading disgusting antisemitic tropes and outrageous distortions of history, they should be clear in their denouncement of violence.”

He added: “The PA should be clear that there is no acceptance for brutality and terrorism. It should be clear that there is no excuse to target Israelis, particularly Israeli civilians, because that is the only way that peace is possible.”

It was not the first time Abbas had resorted to antisemitic slurs, and in his latest outburst he also accused the United States and Great Britain of inventing the idea of Jewish statehood.

Dozens of leading Palestinian intellectuals, artists and other public figures have since published an open letter condemning antisemitic comments made by the Palestinian Authority president.

Cleverly also urged both Israelis and Palestinians to “crack down on activities that inflame violence and spread racism and hate.”

He said the UK would “stand by Israel’s right to self-defence” but also that Israel’s “right to self-defence belongs exclusively to Israel’s security forces who operate within the line of international law”.

Cleverly also met PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh in the West Bank on Wednesday morning.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said of the meeting: “The Foreign Secretary and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh met in Ramallah today.

“The Foreign Secretary reassured the Prime Minister that the UK’s position on the Occupied Palestinian Territories has not changed. He reiterated the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution, based on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as a shared capital.

“The Foreign Secretary acknowledged the Prime Minister’s concerns about the trajectory of instability in the West Bank, particularly in the context of increased Israeli incursions and the rise of settler violence.

“The Foreign Secretary urged the Prime Minister to hold elections as soon as possible, as part of a process of democratic renewal in the Occupied Palestinian Territories [West Bank].”