Sacked Momentum vice-chair to address anti-Israel event

A controversial Labour activist suspended by the party over allegations of anti-Semitism is set to address an anti-Israel event on Saturday.

Community figures have criticised the decision to invite Jackie Walker to speak at a Palestine Solidarity Campaign event at Chapelfield Methodist Church in Norwich.

Board of Deputies of British Jews vice president Marie van der Zyl said: “It is against all logic that a church would be willing to tolerate an unapologetic serial offender under its roof. We call on the church to reconsider.”

It also criticised Norwich PSC as having “previously claimed that a ‘Jewish lobby’ is controlling the nation and funding political parties in the interests of Israel rather than Britain. It described the Holocaust Educational Trust as maintaining ‘a culture of gentile guilt and Jewish victimhood in British Schools.”

The Council for Christians and Jews (CCJ), said it was “deeply troubled” and “extremely disturbed” by the activist being asked to speak at the church.

CCJ finds “many of her comments to be inflammatory, divisive and offensive, particularly in regard to comparisons between the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the Holocaust. Her speaking will only further increase tension and divisions between communities.”

The interfaith group says it has “been in contact with all those involved and understand the difficult position in which the minister of the church in question has been placed”.