Hard-left platform Novara Media apologises over ‘pro-Israeli government mega-donor’ claims
In a full climbdown published on its social media channels, the outlet apologised for the claims made in April about Gary Lubner
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Novara Media has been forced to apologise to one of Labour’s biggest donors over claims he has close ties to the Israeli government and profited from apartheid in South Africa.
In a full climbdown published on its social media channels tonight, the hard left outlet apologised for the “defamatory” claims made in April this year about Gary Lubner and said it had made sizeable charitable donations to World Central Kitchen and the Community Security Trust in his name.
It follows the publication of a video entitled “The TRUTH About Labour’s Pro-Israel Mega-Donor” which claimed Lubner was an apartheid profiteer and falsely alleged that Gary and his son Jack – who heads Young Labour – are supportive of the Israeli Government. The false claims led to a torrent of anti-Jewish hate against the pair.
But a statement from Novara tonight said: “We wish to make clear that the allegations within the video against Gary and Jack Lubner were false and based upon a single unreliable article. We failed in our duties in publishing these false allegations.
“We have now removed the video and provided our sincere apologies to the Lubner family, including in respect of the antisemitic abuse they have suffered as a result of the video’s publication. We are pleased to make clear that Gary Lubner was an anti-apartheid activist and led anti-apartheid organisations through the 1980s. He worked closely with leading figures in the anti-apartheid movement to help bring about change in South Africa. He also, at Mr Mandela’s own request, served as a trustee on the Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust.”
The statement added: “Gary and Jack Lubner are not supportive of and do not have ties to the Israeli Government and are not lobbyists on its behalf. Rather, they are proud British Jews who have worked towards a just peace that affords Palestinians and Israelis self-determination, dignity and human rights. We are told that, whilst most of Gary’s philanthropy is focussed on South Africa and the UK, he has contributed to numerous human rights organisations active in Israel and Palestine.”
World Central Kitchen – which received a donation in recognition of Novara’s false claims – is among the organisations working to feed Gazans during the current war. The other beneficiary, the CST, has led the response to the dramatic rise in antisemitic hate in the UK. The Novara statement added: “Gary has made significant contributions to charities working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as a number of victims and families of the October 7 Hamas attack.”
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