Labour MP deletes tweet comparing Hamas hostages to Palestinian prisoners
After being asked to clarify her comments by Jewish News, Sarah Owen, MP for Luton North, removes post suggesting a parallel between civilians held by terrorists in Gaza and convicted criminals in Israeli jails
A Labour MP has deleted a tweet maintaining that there is a parallel between hostages taken by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, after it was highlighted by Jewish News.
Sarah Owen, MP Luton North, took to Twitter/X on Saturday to share a tweet from Medical Aid for Palestinians, claiming “Israeli military airstrikes have reportedly killed more than 70 Palestinians and injured 289 in the designated “safe zone” of al-Mawasi”.
To accompany the tweet, she added: “A ceasefire and exchange of hostages are long overdue.”
The post was widely criticised for its equivalence of Hamas hostages, which includes children, teenagers and baby Kfir Bibas, with Palestinians imprisoned for or arrested on suspicion of violent crimes.
A statement sent to Jewish News from Owen’s spokesperson on Monday said:
“Sarah stands by our UK Government’s calls for an immediate ceasefire, increased aid into Gaza, the release of all hostages and a pathway to a two-state solution.
“She notes that one of the last successful large-scale release of hostages involved negotiations resulting in an exchange of hostages and political prisoners, many of which were children.”
Explanatory community notes were added to Owen’s tweet, stating: “There is no ‘exchange of hostages’ under discussion. Hamas took civilians as hostages on October 7th. Israel holds Palestinian prisoners convicted or suspected of crimes.”
Owen’s office declined to clarify whether she stands by the inferred equivalence of Hamas hostages and Palestinian political prisoners with her continued reference to ‘all hostages’.
Sarah Owen secured 14,677 votes, or 37.9% of the votes in Luton North, a 16% drop from the 2019 general election.
Jewish News has approached the Labour Party for comment.
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