Corbyn withdraws from controversial pro-Palestine conference
Jeremy Corbyn has withdrawn from a conference on the Palestinians that is set to feature a number of controversial speakers.
The Labour leadership frontrunner was listed in publicity to speak at Middle East Monitor’s Palestine and Latin America: Building Solidarity for national rights conference in Westminster next weekend.
But he faced condemnation from fellow politicians and community leaders after it emerged that the event will also feature Carlos Latuff, who came in second place in Iran’s Holocaust cartoon contest in 2006 and academic Dr Azzam Tamimi who has condoned suicide attacks in Israel. He said in 2004: “Sacrificing myself for Palestine is a noble cause.”
A spokesperson for MEMO said: “He is expected to say a few words but because of his campaigning commitments we are now doubtful whether this will happen.”
Leadership rival Liz Kendall earlier said : “Jeremy may be relaxed about who he shares a platform having described Hamas and Hezbollah as friends but most people will question his judgement here.”
“It seems deeply unwise for Jeremy to appear on at a conference organised by MEMO, an organisation that the Community Security Trust has said is infamous for repeated negative conspiracy theories about Israel and Jewish people in public life.”
The CST accused MEMO of peddling conspiracy theories and myths about Jews, Zionists, money and power.
CST’s Mark Gardner told Jewish News: “It has been over one month since CST first drew attention to Jeremy Corbyn’s proposed attendance at this event, organised by a deeply problematic group and with some highly objectionable speakers. We are pleased that he now seems to have withdrawn.”
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