‘Never forget Hamas want to wreck hopes of peace for Palestinians’, says Labour’s Kyle
Speaking to Jewish News, Labour frontbencher Peter Kyle recalled his own visit to a 'peaceful' kibbutz targeted by Hamas terrorists on October 7th
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Labour frontbencher Peter Kyle has warned we “must never forget” that on October 7th Hamas terrorists targeted a kibbutz on Israel’s border with Gaza that he had previously visited himself in order to “wreck any chance of peace” with the Palestinians.
Speaking to Jewish News, the shadow secretary of state for science and Hove MP, recalled his own visit to Kibbutz Nir-Oz, where around 180 of the 400 residents were brutally killed or abducted as hostages during the October atrocity, insisting:”When I was there it was incredibly peaceful, everything you hear the kibbutz movement aspires to was there.
“But it was close to the border with Gaza and you had the incongruous sight of a school building which had to have two layers of reinforced concrete above it to deal with incoming rockets coming across.
“The threat was ever present, however Kibbutz Nir-Oz championed co-habitation. It was one of its founding principals they had to that day, and still do.”
Asked how he felt on hearing the news that Hamas terrorists had targeted the kibbutz he had previously visited and admired, Kyle said:”There are lots of kibbutz in the area, but the reason that one was targeted was not despite it championing co-existence. There is no doubt in my mind it was targeted because it championed cohabitation
“This is something we must never forget. The Hamas terror attack was done in order to stop processes leading to peaceful existence, not to deliver one. They have sought to wreck any chance of peace. That can’t be allowed to happen.”
Kyle, who has a close affinity to the Jewish community in his south coast seat, spoke out about admiration for Israel’s kibbutz life as he visited Barnet College, where he was joined by local Chipping Barnet parliamentary candidate Dan Tomlinson.
The pair engaged in a Q and A session with politics students at the highly regarded college, as well as attending a chemistry class to speak with students.
Earlier this week Kyle was also keynote speaker at a gala hosted by MDA UK, in honour of medics, paramedics and volunteers of Magen David Adom, Israel’s only national medical emergency service at the Peninsula Hotel in Hyde Park.
Just three weeks before the October 7th massacre, Tomlinson had himself visited Israel, where he spent time at Kibbutz Kfar Aza another target for Hamas terrorists.
He told Jewish News:”I found my trip inspiring, people there were working for peace, and there were connections they were trying build with people living in Gaza.
“Bu there were brutal murders of people that we met and their familes by Hamas. What happened on October 7th broke my heart and was horrible to see.
“There was an extra layer of pain having just three weeks before met with people whose lives have been turned upside down and were destroyed by the terrorists.”
Tomlinson revealed he had been in contact with people on the kibbutz after the massacre. “We have heard about how they are raising funds to rebuild,” he said. “Their determination and strength has been something I can’t really begin to comprehend how difficult that experience must be, but how resilient people there have been.”
Kyle visit to Barnet coincided with the fourth anniversary of Boris Johnson’s 2019 electoral landslide, and the thumping defeat of Jeremy Corbyn, with antisemitism in Labour a major factor in scaring off both Jewish and other voters from backing the party.
“Our values and culture as a party had become corrupted,” says Kyle, as he reflects on the mess Labour found themselves in as Keir Starmer became leader.
One of the MPs in the party who did speak out about anti-Jewish racism under Corbyn’s leadership Kyle credits Starmer with “personally” driving through the “changes we needed to see” adding:”It didn’t happen by accident. We only knew this would happen by having a leader who had the drive, who could personally lead through this change.”
He adds:”Those are the things I urge people to look at if they want reassurance that this can never happen again. Because now, if there is any sign of antisemitism, and it is out there in society, there is a process, it will be dealt with rigorously, swiftly and independently.”
Kyle later claims that Labour’s process around dealing with antisemitism, and all forms of racism, “as vigorous” as, not just any party in this country but that “we have standards that no other party in Europe has.”
In a further show of support to the community, Kyle took to the stage to speak alongside Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Conservative MP Robert Jenrick at the recent National March Against Antisemitism in London.
Local candidate Tomlinson, who is seeking to win Chipping Barnet from current Conservative MP Theresa Villiers at the next election, says he is well aware of Jewish voters concerns that the party does not return to bad ways.
“I do hear from people that they are watching us closely, very closely,” he admits “We must never let antisemitism come back. Hardly any Jewish voters supported us in 2019. I understand that deeply. I can only apologise for where the party was in the past.”
We discuss the impact of the pro-Palestinian marches that have taken place weekly since October 7th on the Jewish community, both in Barnet, and further afield.
Kyle says he would reject former home secretary’s claim that these were “hate marches” but he says he accepts that there are “hateful elements in these marches.”
He adds:”I think people who aspire to Palestinian statehood, who are concerned about civilian deaths in Gaza as well as the appalling terrorist attacks, they are not by definition hateful people.
“And we do have the right to protest in this country. But there is a clear distinction between people who are acting in a hateful way, who use hateful language. some of that was apparent on those marches. and that needs to be dealt with.”
The UK, says Kyle, aspires to be a sophisticated country, “even if our government lacks sophistication itself.” He claims that ‘by meddling, by second guessing and by seeking to obstruct” the Metropolitan Police, Braverman had only stifled the force’s ability to “operate in a sophisticated way.”
Tomlinson said it was “deeply, deeply troubling” the protests had left many local Jews frightened to journey into the centre of the city at weekends.
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